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THE 

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER 

OR, 

THE CONNECTION OF 

SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY 

WITH 

RELIGION. 

ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS. 



BY THOMAS DICK, 

AUTHOR OF A VARIETY OP LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICA- 
TIONS IN NICHOLSON'S PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL, THE 
ANNALS OP PHILOSOPHY, &C. &C 



NEW YORK. 
ROBINSON, PRATT, & CO. 

259 PEARL STREET. 

1835. 



.u*it D 



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EXPLANATION OF THE ENGRAVING. 

(Fronting the Title.) 

The five figures on the upper part of the plate, marked 1, 2, 8, 4, 
&,c. represent the planets Hersehel, Saturn, Jupiter, the Earth and 
Moon, in their relative sizes and proportions ; together with tele- 
scopic views of the belts and rings of Saturn, and the belts of Jupiter. 
The two figures immediately below, marked 5 and 6, are intended 
to illustrate the description given of the eye. pp. 88 — 104. Fig. 5 
represents a front view of the human eye. Fig. 6 represents a sec- 
tion of it, exhibiting the three coats and the three humors of which it 
is composed. Fig. 7 represents a rude view of the appearance 
which the rings and moons of Saturn will exhibit, in certain cases, 
as beheld from a point 20 or 30 degrees north from his equator — see 
pp. 187, 188. The shade on the upper part of the rings represents 
the shadow of the body of Saturn, as it appears upon the rings about 
midnight. 

In Sxohaug? 



u 



TO 

DAVID BREWSTER, LL. D. 

Fellow of the Royal Society of London ; Secretary to the 
Royal Society of Edinburgh ; Honorary Member of the 
Royal Irish Academy ; Member of the Royal Swedish 
Academy of Sciences ; Honorary Associate of the Royal 
Academy of Sciences at Lyons, &c. &c. 

THIS VOLUME, 

Intended to illustrate the connection of science and phi- 
losophy with religion, and with the moral improvement of 
mankind, is inscribed, as a testimony of respect for the ac- 
quisitions which science has derived from his philosophical 
discoveries and literary labours, by his most obedient, and 
humble servant, 

THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE 

TO THIS EDITION. 



sojoc 



The following pages were written under the impression 
that the visible manifestations of the attributes of the Deity 
are too frequently overlooked by Christians in their views 
of the great objects of Religion, and in the worship they 
offer to the Father of their spirits ; and are intended to 
show, that the Teachers of Religion, in imparting instruc- 
tion either to the old or to the young, ought to embrace a 
wider range of illustration, in reference to Divine subjects, 
than that to which they are usually confined. 

Throughout the w^hole of the discussions contained in 
this work, the Author has pursued his own train of thought ; 
and, in so doing, he trusts that he has been enabled to ren- 
der some of his illustrations more interesting to the young 
and untutored mind than if he had adhered rigidly to the 
sentiments of others, and to the technical language of 
science. The sketches of the different sciences are not 
mere extracts, or compilations, but are, for the most part, 
original composition — in which it has been his main object 
to embody as many facts as his limits would permit — in 
order to excite the inquiring mind to further investigations 
into the different departments of physical science. 

It is presumed, that no Christian reader will for once 
imagine, that the views illustrated in this work are intended 
to be substituted in place of the peculiar revelations of the 
Bible. The object of the volume is to illustrate the har- 
mony which subsists between the system of Nature and the 
system of Revelation; and to show, that the manifesta 
tions of God in the material universe ought to be blended 
with our views of the facts and doctrines recorded in the 
volume of Inspiration. 

It is taken for granted, throughout the whole range of 
the following illustrations, that the Scriptures contain a 

1* 



X PREFx^CE. 

Revelation from Heaven ; and, under a firm belief of this 
important truth, the Author has embellished his work with 
frequent quotations from the energetic and sublime lan- 
guage of this Sacred Book. It would, therefore, be unfair 
in any critic, who entertains doubts on this point, to find 
fault with such quotations, or with the allusions to Bible- 
phraseology which occur, unless they can be shown to be 
introduced without judgment or discrimination. 

The Author has carefully revised every portion of the 
present edition, and introduced a variety of corrections and 
modifications. He has likewise introduced additional mat- 
ter, to the extent of between 40 and 50 pages, and also 
several illustrative engravings. In its present form, the 
Author trusts, that, independently of the moral reflections 
it contains, it will be found to comprise popular descrip- 
tions of a greater number of scientific facts than is to be 
found in any other volume of the same size. 

Various topics, originally intended to be illustrated, have 
been unavoidably omitted. Some of these are stated in the 
last paragraph of Chapter IV. the illustration of which, in 
combination with other kindred topics, would fill a volume 
of nearly the same size as the present. This subject (for 
which the author has abundance of materials) will be pro- 
secuted in another volume, under the title of The Philo- 
sophy of Religion ; and will comprise, among many 
other subjects of discussion, illustrations of the moral rela- 
tion of intelligent beings to their Creator, and to one an- 
other — the physical and rational grounds of those moral 
laws which the Deity has promulgated — the views which 
science affords of the incessant energies of Creating Power, 
and of the grand and multifarious objects over which 
Divine Providence presides — the relation of science to a 
future state, and of the aids which the discoveries of science 
afford, for enabling us to form a conception of the perpetual 
improvement of the celestial inhabitants in knowledge and 
felicity. These subjects will be illustrated by a variety of 
interesting details of facts, in relation to the system of 
nature, the history of nations, and the moral state of Chris- 
tian and general society. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 
Introduction, \ . . . .17 

Necessity of Revelation. Folly of discarding the Science of Nature 
from Religion. Eeneficial Effects which flow from the study of 
the Works of God. 

CHAP. I. 

OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY. 

Sect. 1. On the Relation of the Natural Attrieutes of the 

Deity to Religion, . . . . .25 

The Christian Religion founded on the Natural Attributes of God. 
His Power as interesting a subject as his Mercy. — Illustrated in 
two instances. Evils which arise from imperfect conceptions of 
Divine Power. Defects in Religious Instructions on this subject. 
Sources of Illustration. 

Sect. 2. Illustrations of the Omnipotence of the Deity, . . 32 

The material world exhibits a more striking display of this Perfec- 
tion than the supernatural facts recorded in Scripture. Immense 
quantity of Matter in the universe. Mode of acquiring the most 
comprehensive conception of the bulk of the Earth — its variety of 
scenery — its mass of solid matter. Magnitude of the bodies 
which compose the Solar System. Magnitude and number of the 
Stars. Procedure of the mind in acquiring the most impressive 
conceptions of such august objects. Reflections. Rapid Motions 
of the Celestial Bodies. How we acquire the ideas of relative 
velocities — weight of the Earth — immense physical forces — 
Grandeur of the motion of Saturn — immense number of bodies 
impelled through the heavens—Reflections. Immense Spaces 
which surround the Heavenly Bodies — Reflections. Popular illus- 
tration of the Motions of the Earth and Heavens. Extract from 
Dr. Ridgley, with remarks. Universe intended to adumbrate the 
Attributes of God, and to make a sublime impression on created 
beings. Similar trains of thought suggested in. the Scriptures. 
Moral Effects of such contemplations. Humility. Folly of pride — 
low rank of man in the scale of being. Reverence and Venera- 
tion — Reason why mankind feel so little veneration of God — 
how it may be increased. The Deity unsearchable. Hope and 
Confidence in the prospect of futurity — Resurrection — Scenes of 
Eternity. 

Si t. 3. On the "Wisdom and Intelligence of the Deity, . . 61 
Wisdom denned — Displayed in the Structure of the Solar Sys- 
tem. Distance of the Sun. Rotation of the Planets — Principal 
reason why such a motion exists. Wisdom displayed in other 
Systems. Minute displays of this attribute cannot be traced in 
the heavens. Wisdom, as displayed in the constitution of our 
globe — adjustment of its solid parts to the necessities of the be- 
ings which inhabit it. Mountains, their uses— exist in other 



12 

worlds. Diversity of color — argument for a plurality of worlds — 
general color which prevails in the scene of nature — Water, its 
use in the system of nature — its composition, evaporation — mo- 
tion of the liquid element — its beneficial effects. The Atmos- 
phere — its weight and pressure — its component parts — its various 
properties — necessary to animal life, flame, sound, twilight — 
wisdom displayed in its constitution. Expansion of water in the 
act of freezing. 

Variety of Nature, ...... 73 

Vegetables — their number and variety. Animals — variety in 
their organization. Eyes of insects — their exquisite mechanism. 
Subterraneous Regions. Atmosphere. The Variety of Nature 
affords a faint idea of the infinity of the Creator. Illustrated in 
the number of animal parts and functions. Reflection. Variety 
the foundation of our judgments. Beauty and sublimity of Na- 
ture. Primeval state of our globe — other worlds. 

Mechanism of Animated Beings, ...... 85 

Structure of the Human Eye — its coats, humors, muscles, 
orbit, and motions. "Wisdom displayed in its construction. 
Light — its velocity, minuteness, colors, and adaptation to the 
eye. Manner in which Vision is performed — explained by 
a figure, and an experiment — illustrated by the view from Salis- 
tury Crags. Multitude of rays which flow from every object — 
smallness of the image on the retina, illustrated by calculation — 
what proportion of the solar light falls on our globe — Reflections. 
Mechanism for viewing near and distant objects — contraction 
and dilatation of the pupil — distance at which we see distinctly. 
Summary view of adaptations in the structure of the eye. Eyes 
of superior intelligences. Visual organs of the inferior animals. 
Mechanism of the Bones illustrated — exemplified in the joints of 
the fingers, the wrist, and the movements of which the head is 
susceptible. Moral Reflections on the impropriety of overlooking 
the Divine Wisdom in the system of nature. 

Sect. 4. On the Goodness or Benevolence of the Deity, . . Ill 
Benevolence of God in relation to Man — considered as a depraved 
intelligence. Mercy displayed in the system of nature. Benevo- 
lence as displayed towards the lower animals. Extract from 
Dr. Paley. General Reflections. 



CHAP. II. 

A CURSORY VIEW OF SOME OF THE SCIENCES WHICH ARE 
RELATED TO RELIGION AI^D CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. 

Introduction. Extensive range of Theology. Bad effects of setting 
Religion in opposition to Science. Harmony of the operations 
of God in Nature and Revelation, . . . . .117 

Natural History, . . . . . . . .120 

Its extensive range. Outline of its principal objects — on the sur- 
face, and in the interior recesses of the earth — in the atmosphere — 
the vegetable, mineral, and animal kingdoms — and in the region 
of the heavens. Description of the Banian Tree. Reflections, 
Monkey Bread Tree. Splendor and felicity of insect life. In- 
visible worlds — infinity of the universe. Religious tendency of 
this Science. It affords a manifestation of the Deity, and expands 
our conceptions of his operations — ennobles the human mind. 
— Recommended by the Sacred writers. 



13 

Geography, . . . . . . . . 134 

Its object — Figure of the Earth — Proofs of its spherical form. Re- 
lation which the discovery of the figure of the earth bears to the 
plan of Providence. Magnitude and natural divisions of the 
earth. General features of its surface. Mountains — their general 
ranges, and the sublime scenes they exhibit. The Ocean — its 
extent, depth, bottom, and motions. Rivers — their number, size, 
and the quantity of water they pour into the ocean. How they 
are supplied — their use in the system of nature. Artificial divi- 
sion of the earth. Number snd variety of its inhabitants. Num- 
ber which has existed since the Creation — number at the resur- 
rection, and the space they would occupy. Number which the 
earth would contain — strictures on Malthus. Utility of the study 
of Geography to Religion — to Directors of Missionary Societies — 
to Private Christians. Grandeur of its physical objects — utility 
of its moral facts. 
Geology, . . 157 

Its object and connection with religion — an interesting subject of 
inquiry. Materials which compose the crust of our globe. Vari- 
ous geological phenomena. Organic remains — Mammoth, Tapir, 
Elk, Megatherium, &c. Geological deductions not inconsistent 
with the Mosaic History — Genesis i. 1, 2, explained. Short du- 
ration of the earth in its present form. The Deluge, and its 
effects on the earth's strata. Marine shells, &c. Grand and 
terrific objects which this science exhibits — illustrate the sublime 
descriptions of the Deity recorded in the Scriptures. 
Astronomy, ....... 168 

Its sublime objects. Apparent motions of the Sun — of the Moon. 
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon. Apparent motion of the starry 
heavens. Stars and planets seen in the day-time, and with what 
powers* of the telescope they may be distinguished. Apparent 
revolution of the celestial vault indicates Almighty power. Stars 
never shift their relative positions. Solar System. The Sun — 
his size and probable destination illustrated — his spots and atmos- 
phere — different kind of rays emitted from his body — his distance 
illustrated.. Mercury — his size, rotation, quantity of light and 
heat, &c. Proportions of caloric on the different planets. Ve- 
nus — her size, phases, mountains, transits, and general phenom- 
ena. Original observations on, and mode by which her diurnal 
rotation may be determined. Earth — proofs of its annual and 
diurnal motions. The Moon — description of her majestic moun- 
tain sceneiy, luminous spots, celestial appearances, illuminating 
power, superficial contents, &c. Mars — his distance, atmosphere, 
luminous zone, &c. New Planets — Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and 
Vesta — then* anomalies, singularities, and probable origin. Me- 
teoric Stones. Jupiter — his bulk, rotation, belts, and the appear- 
ances of his moons. Saturn — his figure, belts, moons, and quan- 
tity of light. His Rings, their dimensions, motion, and phenom- 
ena — illustrated by a figure. Splendor of the firmament, as 
viewed from this planet (see the engraving.) Herschel — his 
distance, size, and quantity of light. Comets — their tails, velo- 
city, orbits, size, and number. New Comet. Motion of the 
solar system in absolute space — its destination — plurality of 
worlds intimated in Scripture. The Fixed Stars — their distance 
illustrated — their arrangement, changes — moral reflections. Re- 
lation of Astronomy to Religion — moral effects which its objects 
have a tendency to produce — criminality of overlooking the 
works of God, &e. 



14 

Natural Philosophy, ...... 201 

Its objects and different departments. Mechanics — -subjects it em- 
braces, and its importance to the improvement of mankind. Hy- 
drostatics — its leading principles and uses, illustrated by figures. 
Pneumatics — its principles, and the experiments by which they 
are illustrated. Acoustics. Optics — leading facts and principles 
of this science. Burning-glasses, &c. Electricity — its nature, 
phenomena, effects, and agency in the system of nature. Gal- 
vanism — its singular effects on metals, &c. and on the animal 
system — various facts which it explains. Magnetism — its vari- 
ous phenomena and effects. Relation of Natural Philosophy to 
Religion — its inventions meliorate the condition of mankind — 
illustrated in the case of the electric fluid — it undermines the in- 
fluence of superstition — unfolds the incessant agency of God — 
indifference to this subject unreasonable. 

Chemistry, . . \ 219 

Its objects, and present dignified station. General forms of mat- 
ter — simple and compound substances. Caloric — its sources and 
properties. Oxygen, its properties and combinations — nitrous 
oxide, its singular effects. Nitrogen, its effects on flame ■ and 
animal life. Hydrogen, its properties and uses. Carbon, its 
nature, combinations, and antiseptic properties. Sulphur, its 
origin, combinations, and properties. Phosphorus, history of its 
discovery — how prepared — curious experiments with this sub- 
stance — Phosphoric phenomena in the system of nature. Con- 
nection of this science with Religion — it displays the wisdom 
and benevolence of God, and the mode of his present and future 
operations — improves the condition of man — and carries forward 
our views to a more glorious and auspicious era. 

Anatomy and Physiology, . 231 

Their general object — human body, its different parts and divisions. 
Bones, their number, form, and positions. Muscles, their nature, 
use, and extraordinary strength. Heart and blood vessels, and 
the circulation of the blood. Respiration — curious structure of 
the lungs. Digestion. Perspiration. Sensation, and the sys- 
tem of nerves. Summary. Moral reflections — this branch ot 
study teaches us our dependance on a Superior Power— and ex- 
cites to gratitude. 

History, 241 

Its objects, advantages, and connection with Religion. Connection 
of the sciences and of the Divine dispensations with each other. 
Concluding remarks. 

CHAP. III. 

THE RELATION WHICH THE INVENTIONS OF ART BEAR TO 
THE OBJECTS OF RELIGION. 

Art of Printing, its origin, and beneficial effects — Dr. Church's Im- 
provements in, . . . . . . . . 246 

Art of Navigation — Mariner's Compass, its discovery and use, 249 

The telescope, its invention, and the discoveries made by it — serves 
instead of a celestial vehicle — Magnifying powers of Dr. Her- 

schel's Telescopes, 252 

The Microscope, and the views it exhibits of the wisdom of God, 254 
Steam Navigation, its utility in promoting the intercourse of man- 
kind, and its relation to the objects of religion, . . . 256 



15 

Air Balloons, utility of, when arrived at perfection— proposed im- 
provement in. History of their invention — Lunardi's ascent — 
the Parachute, 258 

Acoustic tunnels. Experiments on the Conveyance of sound. 
M. Biot's remarkable experiment — Don Gautier's experiment 
and suggestion. Conclusions in reference to the extensive con- 
veyance of sound, 262 

Practical remarks — utility of the arts in relation to the Millennial 
era, 265 

CHAP. IV. 

SCRIPTURAL FACTS ILLUSTRATED FROM THE SYSTEM OF 
NATURE. 

I. Science may frequently serve as a guide to the true interpreta- 
tion of Scripture. Canon or rule for Scripture interpretation — 
illustrated, .271 

II. The Depravity of man illustrated, from ct consideration of the 
state of the interior strata of the earth. Volcanoes, and the ter- 
rible ravages they produce. Earthquakes, and their dreadful 
effects. Thunder-storms, tempests, and hurricanes. General 
Reflections on this subject, 274 

III. The Resurrection illustrated. Transformations of Insects. 
Indestructibility of matter — conclusions from this fact, . .282 

IV. General Conflagration. Concluding reflections. Topics omit- 
ted in this volume, 285 



CHAP. V. 

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS WHICH WOULD RESULT FROM CON- 
NECTING SCIENCE WITH RELIGION. 

I. The variety of topics would allure the attention of intelligent 
minds to religious subjects. Principle of novelty intended by the 
Creator to be gratified — illustrated in the variety which appears 

in the earth, the heavens, and the Volume of Revelation, . 289 

II. Science enables us to take an extensive survey of the empire of 
God — illustrates many sublime passages of the Bible — qualifies us 
for complying with several Divine Injunctions — danger of selfish- 
ness and indifference in this respect. Our conceptions of God 
depend on our views of the extent of his dominions, . . 293 

III. Science enlarges our views of the operations of Providence, in 
relation to the past and present scenes of the world. The econo- 
my of the inferior animals. The physical and moral economy of 
the celestial worlds, . . . ... . . . 303 

IV. Science, blended with Religion, would produce a general ex 
pansion of mind, and liberality of views — in reference to the 
opinions and actions of men, and to the works and the ways of 
God, illustrated at large, 310 

V. It would induce a spirit of piety, and profound humility. Sources 
of piety — illustrated by an example. Humility — illustrated by 
the examples of Mr. Boyle, of Sir Isaac Newton, and of superior 
intelligences. General conclusions, 31 



16 



APPENDIX. 

No. I. Illustration of the rate of motion in the heavenly bodies, 

on the supposition that the earth is at rest, . . . .321 
No. II. Experimental illustrations of the pressure of the Atmos- 
phere, .323 

No. III. On the means by which it may probably be ascertained 

whether the Moon be a habitable world, .... 324 
No. IV. Remarks on the late pretended discovery of a Lunar for- 
tification, ^ . .326 

No. V. On the ideas of Magnitude, Motion, and Duration, as ex- 
pressed by numbers, 327 

No. VI. On a Plurality of Worlds, ...... 329 

No. VII. On the first Inventor of Printing, .... 330 

No. VIII. On Telescopes ; with a brief notice of a Neio Reflecting 

Telescope constructed by the Author, 331 

No. IX. On Steam Navigation, ...... 334 

No. X. Strictures on a certain sentiment respecting human re- 
demption, 338 

No. XI. Extract from Dr. Dwight, 343 

No. XII. List of Popular Works on the different Sciences treated 
of in this Volume, with Occasional Remarks, . • . 343 



THE 

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

INTRODUCTION. 

On the subject of religion, mankind have, in all ages, 
been prone to run into extremes. While some have been 
disposed to attach too much importance to the mere exer- 
tions of the human intellect, and to imagine that man, by 
the light of unassisted reason, is able to explore the path 
to true wisdom and happiness, — the greater part of religion- 
ists, on the other hand, have been disposed to treat scien- 
tific knowledge, in its relation to religion, with a degree of 
indifference bordering upon contempt. Both these disposi- 
tions are equally foolish and preposterous. For he who 
exalts human reason, as the only sure guide to wisdom and 
felicity, forgets, that man, in his present state, is a de- 
praved intelligence, and, consequently, liable to err ; and 
that all those who have been left solely to its dictates, have 
uniformly failed in attaining these desirable objects. During 
a period of more than 5,800 years, the greater part of the 
human race have been left solely to the guidance of their 
rational powers, in order to grope their way to the Temple 
of Knowledge, and the Portals of Immortality ; but what 
has been the result of all their anxious researches 1 In- 
stead of acquiring correct notions of the Great Author of 
their existence, and of the nature of that homage which 
is due to his perfections, " they have become vain in their 
imaginations, and their foolish hearts have been darkened. 
Professing themselves to be wise, they have become fools ; 
and have changed the glory of the Incorruptible God into 
an image made like to corruptible man, and to four-footed 
beasts, and creeping things." Instead of acquiring correct 
views of the principles of moral action, and conducting 
themselves according to the eternal rules of rectitude, 
they have displayed the operation of the most diabolical 
passions, indulged in continual warfare, and desolated the 

2 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

earth with rapine and horrid carnage ; so that the history 
of the world presents to our view, little more than a series 
of revolting details of the depravity of our species, and of 
the wrongs which one tribe of human beings has wilfully 
inflicted upon another. 

This has been the case, not only among a few unculti- 
vated hordes on the coasts of Africa, in the plains of Tarta- 
ry, and the wilds of America, but even among those nations 
which stood highest in the ranks of civilization, and of 
science. — The ancient Greeks and Romans, who boasted 
of their attainments in philosophy, and their progress in the 
arts, entertained the most foolish, contradictory, and un- 
worthy notions of the Object of Divine worship, of the 
requirements of religion, and of the eternal destiny of man. 
Tiiey adored a host of divinities characterized by impiety, 
fraud, injustice, falsehood, lewdness, treachery, revenge, 
murder, and every other vice which can debase the human 
mind, instead of offering a tribute of rational homage to 
that Supreme Intelligence who made, and who governs 
the universe. Even their priests and philosophers indulged 
in the most degrading and abominable practices, and en- 
tertained the most irrational notions in regard to the origin 
of the universe, and the moral government of the world. 
Most of them denied a future state of retribution, and all 
of them had their doubts respecting the reality of an im- 
mortal existence : and as to the doctrine of a resurrection 
from the dead, they never dreamed of such an event, and 
scouted the idea, when proposed to them, as the climax of 
absurdity. The glory to which their princes and generals 
aspired, was, to spread death and destruction among their 
fellow-men — to carry fire and sword, terror and dismay, 
and all the engines of destruction through surrounding 
nations — to fill their fields with heaps of slain — to plunder 
the survivors of every earthly comfort, and to drag captive 
kings at their chariot wheels — that they might enjoy the 
splendor and the honours of a triumph. What has been 
now stated, with regard to the most enlightened nations of 
antiquity, will equally apply to the present inhabitants of 
China, of Hindostan, of the Japanese Islands, of the Bir- 
man Empire, and of every other civilized nation on which 
the light of revelation has never shone — with this addi- 
tional consideration, That they bave enjoyed an additional 
period of 1800 years for making further investigations; 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

and are, at this moment, as far from the object of their 
pursuit as when they first commenced their researches; 
and not only so, out some of these nations, in modern 
times, have mingled with their abominable superstitions 
and idolatries, many absurdities and horrid cruelties, which 
were altogether unknown among the Greek and Roman 
population. 

Such are the melancholy results to which men have 
been led, when left to the guidance of unassisted reason, 
in the most interesting and important of all investigations. 
They have wandered in the mazes of error and delusion ; 
and their researches, instead of directing and expanding 
our religious views, have tended only to bewilder the hu- 
man mind, and to throw a deeper shade of intellectual 
gloom over our apostate world. After a period of six thou- 
sand years has been spent in anxious inquiries after the 
path to true knowledge and happiness — Ignorance, Super- 
stition, Idolatry, Vice and Misery, still continue to sway 
their sceptre over the great majority of the human race; 
and, if we be allowed to reason from the past to the future, 
we may rest assured, that while mankind are destitute of 
a Guide superior to the glimmerings of depraved reason, 
they would be no nearer the object of their pursuit, after 
the lapse of sixty thousand years, than at the present mo 
ment. It is only in connection with the discoveries of Re 
velation that we can expect, that the efforts of human 
reason and activity will be successful in abolishing the 
reign of Ignorance and degrading Superstition — in illu- 
minating the benighted tribes of the Pagan World — and in 
causing "Righteousness, and Order, and Peace, to spring 
forth before all the nations." Though the Christian Re- 
ligion has never yet been fully understood and recognised, 
in all its aspects and bearings, nor its requirements been 
cordially complied with, by the great body of those who 
profess to believe in its Divine origin, yet it is only in those 
nations who have acknowledged its authority, and in some 
measure, submitted to its dictates, that any thing approxi- 
mating to just conceptions of the Supreme Intelligence, 
and of his moral government, is found to prevail. 

But, on the other hand, though the light of nature is of 
itself a feeble and insufficient guide to direct us in our 
views of the Supreme Intelligence, and of our eternal des- 
tination, yet it is a most dangerous and delusive error to 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

imagine, that Reason, and the study of the material world, 
ought to be discarded from the science of religion. The 
man who would discard the efforts of the human intellect, 
and the science of Nature from Religion, forgets — that He 
who is the Author of human redemption, is also the Crea- 
tor and Governor of the whole system of the material uni- 
verse — that it is one end of that moral renovation which 
the Gospel effects, to qualify us for contemplating aright 
the displays of Divine Perfection which the works of crea- 
tion exhibit — that the visible works of God are the princi- 
pal medium by which he displays the attributes of his na- 
ture to intelligent beings — that the study and contempla- 
tion of these works employ the faculties of intelligences of 
a superior order* — that man, had he remained in primeval 
innocence, would have been chiefly employed in such con- 
templations — that it is one main design of Divine Revela- 
tion to illustrate the operations of Providence, and the 
agency of God in the formation and preservation of all 
things — and that the Scriptures are full of sublime descrip- 
tions of the visible creation, and of interesting references 
to the various objects which adorn the scenery of Nature. 
Without the cultivation of our reasoning powers, and an 
investigation of the laws and economy of Nature, we could 
not appreciate many of the excellent characters, the inter 
esting aspects, and the sublime references of revealed reli 
gion : w r e should lose the full evidence of those argument 
by which the existence of God and his attributes of Wis 
dom and Omnipotence are most powerfully demonstrated : 
we should remain destitute of those sublime conceptions of 
the perfections and agency of Jehovah which the grandeur 
and immensity of his works are calculated to inspire : we 
should never perceive, in its full force, the evidence of those 
proofs on which the Divine authority o+* Revelation is found- 
ed : we could not give a rational interpretation of the 
spirit and meaning of many parts of the Sacred Oracles ; 
nor could we comply with those positive commands of God 
which enjoin us to contemplate the wonder of his power, 
to "meditate on all his works, and to talk of all his doings." 
Notwithstanding these and many other considerations, 
which show the folly of overlooking the visible manifesta- 
tions of Deity in the exercises of Religion, it has long been 

♦Rev. ir. 11. xv. 3, &&. 



INTRODUCTION. 21 

the practice of certain theologians to depreciate the wonder- 
ful works of Jehovah, and to attempt to throw them into the 
shade, as if they were unworthy of our serious contempla- 
tion. In their view, to be a bad philosopher is the surest way 
to become a good Christian, and, to expand the views of 
the human mind, is to endanger Christianity, and to render 
the design of religion abortive. They seem to consider it 
as a most noble triumph to the Christian cause, to degrade 
the material world, and to trample under foot, not only the 
earth, but the visible heavens, as an old, shattered, and 
corrupted fabric, which no longer demands our study or ad- 
miration. Their expressions, in a variety of instances, 
would lead us almost to conclude, that they considered the 
economy of Nature as set in opposition to the economy of 
Redemption, and that it is not the same God that contrived 
the system of Nature, who is also the " Author of eternal 
salvation to all them that obey him." 

It is, unquestionably, both foolish and impious, to over- 
look or to undervalue any of the modes by which the Di- 
vine Being has been pleased to make known his nature and 
perfections to mankind. Since he has given a display of 
his " Eternal Power and Godhead" in the grand theatre of 
nature, which forms the subject of scientific investigation, 
it was surely never intended, and would ill comport with 
reverence for its adorable Author, that such magnificent 
displays of his Power, Wisdom, and Beneficence, as the ma- 
terial universe exhibits, should be treated, by his intelligent 
offspring, with indifference or neglect. It becomes us to con- 
template, with adoring gratitude, every ray of our Creator's 
glory, whether as emanating from the light of Revelation, 
or as reflected from the scenery of nature around us, or as 
descending from those regions where stars unnumbered 
shine, and planets and comets run their solemn rounds. 
Instead of contrasting the one department of knowledge 
with the other, with a view of depreciating the science of 
nature, our duty is, to derive from both as much informa- 
tion and instruction as they are calculated to afford ; to mark 
the harmony of the revelations they respectively unfold ; 
and to use the revelations of nature for the purpose of con- 
firming, and amplifying, and carrying forward our views of 
the revelation contained in the Sacred Scriptures. 

With regard to the revelation derived from the Sacred 
Records, it has been imagined by some, that it has little or 

2* 



22 INTRODUCTION, 

no reference to the operations of the material system, and 
that, therefore, the study of the visible works of God can be 
of little importance in promoting religious knowledge and 
holy affections. In the sequel of this volume, I shall en- 
deavor to show, that this sentiment is extremely fallacious* 
and destitute of a foundation. But, in the mean time, 
although it were taken for granted, it would form no argu- 
ment against the combination of science with religion. For 
it ought to be carefully remarked, that Divine Revelation 
is chiefly intended to instruct us in the knowledge of those 
truths which interest us as subjects of the moral administra- 
tion of the Governor of the world,-— or, in other words, as 
apostate creatures, and as moral agents. Its grand object 
is to develope the openings and bearings of the plan of DU 
vine Mercy ; to counteract those evil propensities and pas- 
sions which sin has introduced ; to inculcate those holy 
principles and moral laws which tend to unite mankind in 
harmony and love ; and to produce those amiable tempers 
and dispositions of mind, which alone can fit us for enjoy- 
ing happiness either in this world, or in the world to come. 
For this reason, doubtless, it is, that the moral attributes 
of Deity are brought more prominently into view in the Sa^ 
cred Volume, than his natural perfections ; and that those 
special arrangements of his Providence, which regard the 
moral renovation of our species, are particularly detailed ; 
while the immense extent of his universal kingdom, the 
existence of other worlds, and their moral economy, are but 
slightly hinted at, or veiled in obscurity. Of such a Re- 
velation we stood in need ; and had it chiefly embraced sub- 
jects of a very different nature, it would have failed in sup- 
plying the remedies requisite for correcting the disorders 
which sin has introduced among mankind. — But, suiely, it 
was never intended, even in a religious point of view, that 
the powers of the human mind, in their contemplations and 
researches, should be bounded by the range of subjects com- 
prised in that revelation which is purely, or chiefly of a 
moral nature ; since the Almighty has exhibited so magnifi- 
cent a spectacle in the universe around us, and endowed us 
with faculties adequate to the survey of a considerable por- 
tion of its structure, and capable of deducing from it the 
most noble and sublime results. To walk in the midst of 
this " wide extended theatre," and to overlook, or to gaze 
with indifference on those striking marks of Divine Om 



INTRODUCTION. 23 

hipo'ence and skill, which every where appear, is to over- 
look the Creator himself, and to contemn the most illustri- 
ous displays he has given of his eternal power and glory. 
That man's religious devotions are much to be suspected, 
whatever show of piety he may affect, who derives no as- 
sistance, in attempting to form some adequate conceptions 
of the object of his worship, from the sublime discoveries of 
astronomical science ; from those myriads of suns and sys- 
tems which form but a small portion of the Creator's im- 
mense empire !* The professing Christian, whose devo- 
tional exercises are not invigorated, and whose conceptions 
of Deity are not expanded by a contemplation of the magni- 
tude and variety of his works, may be considered as equally 
a stranger to the more elevated strains of piety, and to the 
noble emotions excited by a perception of the beautiful and 
the sublime. 

"The works of the Lord," says an inspired writer, "are 
great, and are sought out by all those who have pleasure 
therein." They all bear the stamp of Infinite Perfection, 
and serve as so many sensible mediums to exalt and ex- 
pand our conceptions of him, whose invisible glories they 
represent and adumbrate. When contemplated in connec- 
tion with the prospects opened by Divine Revelation, they 
tend to excite the most ardent desires after that state of 
enlarged vision, where the plans and operations of Deity 
will be more clearly unfolded — and to prepare us for bear 
ing a part in the immortal hymn of the church triumphant . 
— "Great and marvellous are thy w T orks, Lord God Al- 
mighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints." 
The most illustrious characters that have adorned our race 
in all ages, have been struck with the beauty and magnifl* 
cence of the visible creation, and have devoted a certain 
portion of their time and attention in investigating its ad- 
mirable economy and arrangement : and there can be no 
question, that a portion of our thoughts devoted to the study 
of the wondrous works of the Most High, must ultimately 

* As some readers seem to have mistaken the Author's meaning, in this 
and similar passages, it may be proper to state, that his meaning is not — 
that a knoAvledge of natural science is essential to genuine piety ; but, that 
the person who has an opportunity of making himself acquainted with the 
science of nature and of contemplating the wonders of the heavens in their 
true lignt, and who does not. find his views of the Creator expanded, and 
his religious emotions elevated by such studies, has reason to call in ques- 
tion the nature and the sincerity of his devotional feelings. 



24 INTRODUCTION. 

be conducive to the improvement of our intellectual powers, 
to our advancement in the Christian life, and to our pre- 
paration for the exalted employments of the eternal world. 
In fine, since the researches of modern times have greatly 
enlarged our views of the System of Universal Nature, and 
of the vast extent to which the operations of the Creator 
are carried on in the distant regions of space, — since the 
late discoveries of Naturalists and Experimental Philoso- 
phers, with respect to the constitution of the atmosphere, 
water, light, heat, the gases, the electric, galvanic, and 
magnetic fluids, and the economy and instincts of animated 
beings, have opened to our view a bright display of Divine 
Wisdom, in the contrivance and arrangement of the differ- 
ent parts of our terrestrial habitation, — since improve- 
ments in the useful arts have kept pace with the progress 
of science, and have been applied to many beneficial pur- 
poses, which have ultimately a bearing on the interests and 
the progress of religion — since a general desire to propa- 
gate the truths of Christianity in Heathen lands now ani- 
mates the mass of the religious world — since the nations 
of both Continents are now aroused to burst asunder the 
shackles of despotism, and to inquire after rational liberty 
and mental improvement, — and since all these discoveries, 
inventions, and movements, and the energies of the human 
mind, from which they spring, are under the direction und 
control of that Omnipotent Being who made, and who 
governs the world — they ought to be considered as parts of 
those Providential arrangements, in the progress of which 
He will ultimately accomplish the illumination of our be- 
nighted race, and make the cause of righteousness and 
truth to triumph among all nations. And, therefore, the 
enlightened Christian ought thankfully to appreciate every 
exhibition, and every discovery by which his conceptions 
of the attributes of God, and of the grandeur of his works, 
may be directed and enlarged, in order that he may be 
qualified to " speak of the honor of his majesty, and talk of 
his power ; to make known to the sons of men his mighty 
acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom." 



CHAPTER I. 



OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY, WITH 

PARTICULAR ILLUSTRATIONS OF HIS 

OMNIPOTENCE AND WISDOM. 



SECTION I. 
On the Relation of the Natural Attributes of Deity to 
Religion. 



A firm conviction of the existence of God, and a compe- 
tent knowledge of his natural perfections, lie at the founda- 
tion of ail religion, both natural and revealed. In propor- 
tion as our views of the perfections of Deity are limited and 
obscure, in a similar proportion will be our conceptions of all 
the relations in which he stands to his creatures, of every part 
of his providential procedure, and of all the doctrines and re- 
quirements of revealed religion. 

By the natural or essential attributes of God, we under- 
stand such perfections as the following : — His Eternity, Om- 
nipresence, Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Wisdom, Omnipo- 
tence, and Boundless Beneficence. These are the characters 
and attributes of Deity, which, we must suppose form the 
chief subjects of contemplation to angels, and to all other 
pure intelligences — and, in investigating the displays of which, 
the sons of Adam would have been chiefly employed, had 
they continued in primeval innocence. These attributes form 
the ground work of all those gracious relations in which the 
God of salvation stands to his redeemed people in the econo- 
my of redemption — they lie at the foundation of the whole 
Christian superstructure — and were they not recognized as 
the corner stones of that sacred edifice, the whole svstem of 
the Scripture Revelation would remain a baseless fabric. 
The full display of these perfections will be exhibited in the 
future world — the contemplation of this display will form one 



26 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 






of the sublime employments " of the saints in light" — and to 
prepare us for engaging in such noble exercises, is one of the 
chief designs of the salvation proclaimed in the Gospel. 

The Christrian Revelation ought not to be considered as 
superseding the Religion of Nature, but as carrying it for- 
ward to perfection. It introduces the Deity to us under new 
relations, corresponding to the degraded state into which we 
have fallen. It is superadded to our natural relations to God, 
and takes it for granted, that these natural relations must for 
ever subsist. It is true, indeed, that the essential attributes 
of God, and the principles of Natural Religion, cannot be ful- 
ly discovered without the light of Revelation, as appears from 
the past experience of mankind in every generation ; but it is 
equally true, that, when discovered by the aid of this celestial 
light, they are of the utmost importance in the Christian sys- 
tem, and are as essentially connected with it, as the founda- 
tion of a building is with the superstructure. Many profes- 
sed Christians, however, seem to think, and to act, as if the 
Christian Revelation had annulled the natural relations which 
subsist between man and the Deity ; and hence the zealous 
outcry against every discussion from the pulpit, that has not b 
direct relation to what are termed the doctrines of grace. But 
nothing, surely, can be more absurd than to carry out such a 
principle to all its legitimate consequences. Can God ever 
cease to be Omnipotent, or can man ever cease to be depend- 
ent for existence on his infinite power ? Can the Divine 
Being ever cease to be Omnipresent and Omniscient, or can 
man ever cease to be the object of his knowledge and super- 
intendence ? Can Infinite Wisdom ever be detached from 
the Almighty, or can man ever be in a situation where he will 
not experience the effects of his wise arrangements ? Can 
Goodness ever fail of being an attribute of Jehovah, or can 
any sentient or intelligent beings exist that do not experience 
the effects of his bounty ? In short, can the relation of Crea- 
ture and of Creator ever cease between the human race, in 
whatever moral or physical situation they may be placed, and 
that Almighty Being, u who giveth to all, life and breath, and 
all things V If none of these things can possibly happen, 
then the relations to which we refer must be eternal and un- 
changeable, and must form the basis of all the other relations 
in which we can possibly stand to the Divine Being, either 
as apostate or as redeemed creatures ; and, therefore, they 
ought to be exhibited as subjects for our frequent and serious 
contemplation, as religious and moral agents. But, unless 
we make such topics a distinct subject of attention, and en- 



NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY. 27 

deavour to acquire a clear and comprehensive conception of 
our natural relations to God, we can never form a clear con- 
ception of those new and interesting relations into which we 
have been brought by the mediation of Jesus Christ. 

If man had continued in his primitive state of integrity, he 
would have been for ever exercised in tracing the Power, the 
Beneficence, and other attributes of Deity, in the visible 
creation alone. Now that his fallen state has rendered ad- 
ditional revelations necessary, in order to secure his happi- 
ness, — is he completely to throw aside those contemplations 
and exercises which constituted his chief employment, while 
he remained a pure moral intelligence 1 Surely not. One 
great end of his moral renovation, by means of the Gospel, 
must be, to enable him to resume his primitive exercises, and 
to qualify him for more enlarged views and contemplations of 
a similar nature, in that future world, where the physical and 
moral impediments which now obstruct his progress will be 
completely removed. 

It appears highly unreasonable, and indicates a selfish dis- 
position of mind, to magnify one class of the Divine attributes 
at the expense of another ; to extol, for example, the mercy 
of God, and neglect to celebrate his Power and Wisdom — 
those glorious perfections, the display of which, at the forma- 
tion of our globe, excited the rapture and admiration of angels, 
and of innocent man. All the attributes of God are equal, 
because all of them are infinite ; and, therefore, to talk of 
darling attributes in the Divine Nature, as some have done, 
is inconsistent with reason, unwarranted by Scripture, and 
tends to exhibit a distorted view of the Divine character* 
The Divine mercy ought to be celebrated with rapture by 
every individual of our fallen race ; but with no less rapture 
should we extol the Divine Omnipotence ; for the designs of 
mercy cannot be accomplished without the intervention of In 
finite Power. All that we hope for, in consequence of the 
promises of God, and of the redemption accomplished by 
Jesus Christ, must be founded on the conception we form of 
the operations of Omnipotence. — An example or two may not 
be unnecessary for illustrating this positif n. 

We are warranted, by the sacred oracles, to entertain thB 
hope, that these mortal bodies of ours, after they have moul- 
dered in the dust, been dissolved into their primary elementa- 
ry parts, and become the prey of devouring reptiles, during a 
lapse of generations or of centuries, — shall spring forth from 
the tomb to new life and beauty, and be arrayed in more 
glorious forms than they now wear ; yea, that all the inhabit 



28 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ants of our globe, from Adam to the end of time, though the 
bodies of thousands of them have been devoured by canni- 
bals, have become the food of fishes and of beasts of prey, and 
have been burnt to cinders, and their ashes scattered by the 
winds, over the different regions of sea and land, — shall be 
reanimated by the voice of the Son of God, and shall appear, 
each in his proper person and identical body, before God, the 
Judge of all. Now, the firmness of our hope of so astonish- 
ing an event, which seems to contradict all experience, and 
appears involved in such a mass of difficulties and apparent 
contradictions, must be in proportion to the sentiments we 
entertain of the Divine Intelligence, Wisdom, and Omnipo- 
tence. And where are we to find the most striking visible 
displays of these perfections, except in the actual operations 
of the Creator, within the range of our view in the material 
world ? 

Again, we are informed, in the same Divine records, that, 
at some future period, the earth on which we now dwell shall 
be wrapt up in devouring flames, and its present form and 
constitution for ever destroyed ; and its redeemed inhabitants, 
after being released from the grave, shall be transported to a 
more glorious region ; and that " new heavens and a new 
earth shall appear, wherein dwelleth righteousness." The 
divine mercy having given to the faithful the promise of these 
astonishing revolutions, and most magnificent events, our 
hopes of their being fully realized must rest on the infinite 
wisdom and omnipotence of Jehovah ; and, consequently, if 
our views of these perfections be limited and obscure, our 
hope, in relation to our future destiny, will be proportionably 
feeble and languid ; and will scarcely perform its office " as 
an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast." It is not 
merely by telling a person that God is All-wise, and All-pow- 
erful, that a full conviction of the accomplishment of such 
grand events will be produced. He must be made to see 
with his own eyes what the Almighty has already done, and 
what he is now doing in all the regions of universal nature 
which lie open to our inspection ; and this cannot be effected 
without directing his contemplations to those displays of in- 
telligence and power which are exhibited in the structure, the 
economy, and the revolutions of the material world. 

If the propriety of these sentiments be admitted, it will fol- 
low that the more we are accustomed to contemplate the won- 
ders of Divine intelligence and power, in the objects with which 
we are surrounded, the more deeply shall we be impressed 
with a conviction, and a confident hope, that all the purposes 



NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY. 29 

of divine mercy will ultimately be accomplished in our eter- 
nal felicity. It will also follow, that, in proportion as the mind 
acquires a clear, an extensive, and a reverential view of the 
essential attributes of the Deity, and of those truths in con- 
nection with them, which are objects of contemplation com- 
mon to all holy beings, in a similar proportion will it be im- 
pressed, and its attention arrested, by every other divine sub- 
ject connected with them. And it is, doubtless, owing to the 
want of such clear and impressive conceptions of the essen- 
tial character of Jehovah, and of the first truths of religion, that 
the bulk of mankind are so little impressed and influenced by 
the leading doctrines and duties connected with the plan of the 
Gospel salvation, and that they entertain so many vague and 
untenable notions respecting the character and the objects of 
a superintending Providence. How often, for example, have 
we witnessed expressions of the foolish and limited notions 
which are frequently entertained respecting the operations of 
Omnipotence] When it has been asserted that the earth 
with all its load of continents and oceans, is in rapid mo- 
tion through the voids of space — that the sun is ten hundred 
thousand times larger than the terraqueous globe— and that 
millions of such globes are dispersed throughout the immen- 
sity of nature — -some who have viewed themselves as enlight- 
ened Christians, have exclaimed at the impossibility of such 
facts, as if they were beyond the limits of Divine Power, and 
as if such representations were intended to turn away the mind 
from God and religion ; while, at the same time, they have 
yielded a firm assent to all the vulgar notions respecting 
omens, apparitions, and hobgoblins, and to the supposed ex- 
traordinary powers of the professors of divination and witch- 
craft. How can such persons assent, with intelligence and 
rational conviction, to the dictates of Revelation respecting 
the energies of Omnipotence which will be exerted at "the con- 
summation of all things," and in those arrangements which 
are to succeed the dissolution of our sublunary system ? A 
firm belief in the Almighty Power and unsearchable wisdom 
of God, as displayed in the constitution and movements of the 
material world, is of the utmost importance, to confirm our 
faith and enliven our hopes, of such grand and interesting 
events. 

Notwithstanding the considerations now stated, which plain- 
ly evince the connection of the natural perfections of God 
with the objects of the Christian Revelation, it appears some- 
what strange, that, when certain religious instructors happen 
to come in contact with this topic, they seem as if they were 

3 



SO THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

beginning to tread upon forbidden ground ; and, as if it were 
unsuitable to their office as Christian teachers, to bring for- 
ward the stupendous works of the Almighty to illustrate his 
nature and attributes. Instead of expatiating on the numerous 
sources of illustration, of which the subject admits, till the 
minds of their hearers are thoroughly affected with a view of 
the essential glory of Jehovah — they despatch the subject 
with two or three vague propositions, which, though logically 
true, make no impression upon the heart ; as if they believed 
that such contemplations were suited only to carnal men, and 
mere philosophers ; and as if they were afraid, lest the sancti- 
ty of the pulpit should be polluted by particular descriptions of 
those operations of the Deity which are perceived through the 
medium of the corporeal senses. We do not mean to insinu- 
ate, that the essential attributes of God, and the illustrations of 
them derived from the material world, should form the sole, 
or the chief topics of discussion, in the business of religious 
instruction — but, if the Scriptures frequently direct our atten- 
tion to these subjects — if they lie at the foundation of all ac- 
curate and extensive views of the Christian Revelation — if 
they be the chief subjects of contemplation to angels, and all 
other pure intelligences, in every region of the universe — and 
if they have a tendency to expand the minds of professed 
Christians, to correct their vague and erroneous concep- 
tions, and to promote their conformity to the moral character 
of God — we cannot find out the shadow of a reason, why such 
topics should be almost, if not altogether, overlooked, in the 
writings and the discourses of those who profess to instruct 
mankind in the knowledge of God, and the duties of his wor* 
ship. 

We are informed by our Saviour himself, that "this is life 
eternal, to know thee the living and true God," as well as 
" Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." The knowledge of God, 
in the sense here intended, must include in it the knowledge 
of the natural and essential attributes of the Deity, or those 
properties of his nature by which he is distinguished from all 
"the idols of the nations." Such are, his Self-existence, his 
All-perfect knowledge, his Omnipresence, his Infinite Wis- 
dom, his Boundless Goodness, and Almighty Power — attri- 
butes, which, as we have just now seen, lie at the foundation 
of all the other characters and relations of Deity revealed in 
the Scriptures. The acquisition of just and comprehensive 
conceptions of these perfections, must, therefore, lie at the 
foundation of all profound veneration of the Divine Being, and 
of all that is valuable in religion. Destitute of such concep- 



NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DEITY. 31 

ions, we can neither feel that habitual humility, and that 
reverence of the majesty of Jehovah which his essential glory 
is calculated to inspire, nor pay him that tribute of adoration 
and gratitude which is due to his name. Devoid of such 
views, we cannot exercise that cordial acquiescence in the 
plan of his redemption, in the arrangements of his providence, 
and in the requirements of his law, which the Scriptures en- 
join. Yet, how often do we find persons who pretend to 
speculate about the mysteries of the Gospel, displaying, — by 
their flippancy of speech respecting the eternal councils of the 
Majesty of Heaven — by their dogmatical assertions respect- 
ing the divine character, and the dispensations of providence — 
and by their pertinacious opinions respecting the laws by 
which God must regulate his own actions — that they have 
never felt impressive emotions of the grandeur of that Being, 
whose "operations are unsearchable, and his ways past find- 
ing out ?" Though they do not call in question his immen- 
sity and power, his wisdom and goodness, as so many ab- 
stract properties of his nature, yet, the unbecoming familiarity 
with which they approach this august Being, and talk about 
him, shows that they have never associated in their minds, the 
stupendous displays which have been given of these perfec- 
tions, in the works of his hands ; and that their religion (if it 
may be so called) consists merely in a farrago of abstract 
opinions, or in an empty name. 

If, then, it be admitted, that it is essentially requisite, as the 
foundation of religion, to have the mind deeply impressed with 
a clear and comprehensive view of the natural perfections of 
the Deity, it will follow, that the ministers of religion, and all 
others whose province it is to communicate religious instruc- 
tion, ought frequently to dwell, with particularity, on those 
proofs and illustrations which tend to convey the most de- 
finite and impressive conceptions of the glory of that Being 
whom we profess to adore. But from what sources are such 
illustrations to be derived ? Is it from abstract reasonings 
and metaphysical distinctions and definitions, or from a sur- 
vey of those objects and movements which lie open to the in- 
spection of every observer? There can be no difficulty in 
coming to a decision on this point. We might affirm, with the 
schoolmen, that " God is a Being whose centre is every where, 
and his circumference no where ;" that " he comprehends in- 
finite duration in every moment ;" and that " infinite space 
may be considered as the sensorium of the Godhead ;" but 
such fanciful illustrations, when strictly analyzed, will be 
found to consist merely of words without ideas. We might 



32 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

also affirm with truth, that God is a Being of infinite perfec- 
tion, glory and blessedness — that he is without all bounds or 
limits, either actual or possible — that he is possessed of power 
sufficient to perform all things which do not imply a contra- 
diction — that he is independent and self-sufficient — that his 
wisdom is unerring, and that he infinitely exceeds all other 
beings. But these, and other expressions of a similar kind, 
are mere technical terms, which convey no adequate, nor even 
tolerable notion of what they import. Beings, constituted 
like man, whose rational spirits are connected with an organi- 
cal structure, and who derive all their knowledge through the 
medium of corporeal organs, can derive their clearest and 
most affecting notions of the Divinity, chiefly through the 
same medium, namely, by contemplating the effects of his per- 
fections, as displayed through the ample range of the visible 
creation. And, to this source of illustration, the inspired 
writers uniformly direct our views — " Lift up your eyes on 
high, and behold ! who hath created these orbs 1 who bringeth 
forth their host by number, and calleth them all by their 
names ? The everlasting God, the Lord, by the greatness of 
his might, for that he is strong in power.'' — " He hath made 
the earth by his power ; he hath established the world by his 
wisdom ; he hath stretched out the heavens by his under- 
standing." — These writers do not perplex our minds by a 
multitude of technical terms and subtle reasonings ; but lead 
us directly to the source whence our most ample conceptions 
of Deity are to be derived, that, from a steady and enlightened 
contemplation of the effects, we may learn the greatness of 
the Cause ; and their example, in this respect, ought, doubtless, 
to be a pattern for every religious instructor. 

SECTION II. 

Illustrations of the Omnipotence of the Deity. 

In order to elucidate more distinctly what has been now 
stated, I shall select a few illustrations of some of the Natural 
attributes of the Deity. And, in the first place, I shall offer a 
few considerations which have a tendency to direct, and to 
amplify our conceptions of Divine Power. 

Omnipotence is that attribute of the Divine Being, by which 
he can accomplish every thing that does not imply a contra- 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 33 

diction — however far it may transcend the comprehension of 
finite minds. By his power the vast system of universal 
nature was called from nothing into existence, and is continu- 
ally supported, in all its movements, from age to age. — In 
elucidating this perfection of God, we might derive some strik- 
ing illustrations from the records of his dispensations towards 
man, in the early ages of the world — when he overwhelmed 
the earth with the deluge, which covered the tops of the 
highest mountains, and swept the crowded population of the 
ancient world into a watery grave — when he demolished 
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, with fire 
from heaven— when he slew all the first-born of Egypt, and 
turned their rivers into blood — when he divided the Red Sea, 
and the waters of Jordan before the tribes of Israel — when he 
made the earth to open its jaws and swallow up Korah and all 
his company — and when he caused Mount Sinai to smoke and 
tremble at his presence. But, these and similar events, how- 
ever awful, astonishing, and worthy of remembiance, were 
only transitory exertions of divine power, and are not calcula- 
ted, and were never intended, to impress the mind in so pow- 
erful a manner as those displays of Omnipotence which are 
exhibited in the ordinary movements of the material universe. 
We have no hesitation in asserting, that, with regard to this 
attribute of the Divinity, there is a more grand and impressive 
display in the Works of Nature, than in all the events recorded 
in the Sacred History. Nor ought this remark to be consi- 
dered as throwing the least reflection on the fullness and 
sufficiency of the Scripture revelation ; for that revelation as 
having a special reference to a moral economy, has for its 
object, to give a more particular display of the moral than of 
the natural perfections of God. The miracles to which we 
have now referred, and every other supernatural fact recorded 
in the Bible were not intended so much to display the plenitude 
of the power of Deity, as to bear testimony to the Divine 
mission of particular messengers, and to confirm the truths 
they declared. It was not, for example, merely to display the 
energies of Almighty power, that the waters of the Red Sea 
were dried up before the thousands of Israel, but to give a 
solemn and striking attestation to all concerned, that the Most 
High Ged had taken this people under his peculiar protection 
— that he had appointed Moses as their leader and legislator — 
and that they were bound to receive and obey the statutes he 
delivered. The most appropriate and impressive illustrations 
of Omnipotence, are those which are taken from the permanent 
operations of Deity, which are visible every moment in the 

3* 



34 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, 

universe around us ; or, in other words, those which are de- 
rived from a detail of the facts which have been observed in 
the material world, respecting magnitude and motion. 

In the first place, the immense quantity of matter contained 
in the universe, presents a most striking display of Almighty 
power. 

In endeavouring to form a definite notion on this subject, the 
mind is bewildered in its conceptions, and is at a loss where to 
begin or to end its excursions. In order to form something 
approximating to a well defined idea we must pursue a train of 
thought commencing with those magnitudes which the mind 
can easily grasp, proceeding through all the intermediate gra- 
dations of magnitude, and fixing the attention on every portion 
of the chain, till we arrive at the object or magnitude of which 
we wish to form a conception. We must endeavour, in the 
first place, to form a conception of the bulk of the world in 
which we dwell, which, though only a point in comparison of 
the whole material universe, is in reality, a most astonishing 
magnitude, which the mind cannot grasp, without a laborious 
effort. We can form some definite idea of those protuberate 
masses we denominate hills, which arise above the surface of 
our plains ; but were we transported to the mountainous 
scenery of Switzerland, to the stupendous range of the Andes 
in South America, or to the Himmalayan mountains in India, 
where masses of earth and rocks, in every variety of shape, 
extend several hundreds of miles in different directions, and 
rear their projecting summits beyond the region of the clouds 
—we should find some difficulty in forming an adequate con- 
ception of the objects of our contemplation. For, (to use the 
words of one who had been a spectator of such scenes,) 
" Amidst those trackless regions of intense silence and soli- 
tude, we cannot contemplate, but with feelings of awe and 
admiration, the enormous masses of variegated matter which 
lie around, beneath, and above us. The mind labours, as it 
were, to form a definite idea of those objects of oppressive 
grandeur, and feels unable to grasp the august objects which 
compose the surrounding scene." But what are all these 
mountainous masses, however variegated and sublime, when 
compared with the bulk of the whole earth ? Were they 
hurled from their basis, and precipitated into the vast Pacific 
Ocean, they would all disappear in a moment, except perhaps 
a few projecting tops, which, like a number of small islands, 
might be seen rising a few fathoms above the surface of the 
waters. 

The earth is a globe whose diameter is nearly 8,000 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITF. 35 

miles, and its circumference about 25,000, and, consequently, 
its surface contains nearly two hundred millions of square 
miles — a magnitude too great for the mind to take in at one 
conception. In order to form a tolerable conception of the 
whole, we must endeavour to take a leisurely survey of its 
different parts. Were we to take our station on the top of a 
mountain, of a moderate size, and survey the surrounding 
landscape, we should perceive an extent of view stretching 40 
miles in every direction, forming a circle 80 miles in diameter, 
and 250 in circumference, and comprehending an area of 
5,000 square miles. In such a situation the terrestial scene 
around and beneath us, consisting of hills and plains, towns 
and villages, rivers and lakes — would form one of the largest 
objects which the eye, and even the imagination, can steadily 
grasp at one time. But such an object, grand and extensive 
as it is, forms no more than the forty thousandth part of the 
terraqueous globe ; so that before we can acquire an adequate 
conception of the magnitude of our own world, we must con- 
ceive 40,000 landscapes of a similar extent, to pass in review 
before us : and were a scene, of the magnitude now stated, to 
pass before us every hour, till all the diversified scenery of the 
earth were brought under our view, and were 12 hours a-day 
allotted for the observation, it would require 9 years and 48 
days before the whole surface of the globe could be contem- 
plated, even in this general and rapid manner. But, such a 
variety of successive landscapes passing before the eye, even 
although it were possible to be realized, would convey only a 
very vague and imperfect conception of the scenery of our 
world ; for objects at the distance of 40 miles cannot be dis- 
tinctly perceived ; the only view which would be satisfactory 
would be, that which is comprehended within the range of 3 
or 4 miles from the spectator. 

Again, I have already stated, that the surface of the earth 
contains nearly 200,000,000 of square miles. — Now, were a 
person to set out on a minute survey of the terraqueous globe, 
and to travel till he passed along every square mile on its sur- 
face, and to continue his route without intermission, at the rate 
of 30 miles every day, it would require 18,264 years before he 
could finish his tour, and complete the survey of " this nuge 
rotundity on which we tread ■:" so that, had he commenced his 
excursion on the day in which Adam was created, and continu- 
ed it to the present hour, he would not have accomplished one- 
third part of this vast tour. 

In estimating the size and extent of the earth, we ought also 
to take into consideration, the vast variety of objects with 



36 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

which it is diversified, and the numerous animated beings with 
which it is stored ; — the great divisions of land and water, the 
continents, seas, and islands, into which it is distributed ; the 
lofty ranges of mountains which rear their heads to the clouds ; 
the unfathomed abysses of the ocean ; its vast subterraneous 
caverns and burning mountains ; and the lakes, rivers, and 
stately forests with which it is so magnificently adorned ; — the 
many millions of animals, of every size and form, from the 
elephant to the mite, which traverse its surface ; the numerous 
tribes of fishes, from the enormous whale to the diminutive 
shrimp, which " play" in the mighty ocean ; the serial tribes 
which sport in the regions above us, and the vast mass of the 
surrounding atmosphere, which encloses the earth and all its 
inhabitants as " with a swaddling band." The immense va- 
riety of beings with which our terrestrial habitation is furnish- 
ed, conspires, with every other consideration, to exalt our 
conceptions to that power by which our globe, and all that it 
contains, were brought into existence. 

The preceding illustrations, however, exhibit the vast extent 
of the earth, considered only as a mere superficies. But we 
know that the earth is a solid globe, whose specific gravity is 
nearly five times denser than water, or about twice as dense as 
the mass of earth and rocks which compose its surface. 
Though we cannot dig into its bowels beyond a mile in per- 
pendicular depth, to explore its hidden wonders, yet we may 
easily conceive what a vast and indescribable mass of matter 
must be contained between the two opposite portions of its 
external circumference, reaching S000 miles in every direc- 
tion. The solid contents of this ponderous ball is no less than 
263,858,149,120 cubical miles — a mass of material substance 
of which we can form but a very faint and imperfect conception — 
in proportion to which all the lofty mountains which rise above 
its surface, are less than a few grains of sand, when compared 
with the largest artificial globe. Were the earth a hollow 
sphere, surrounded merely with an external shell of earth and 
water, 10 miles thick, its internal cavity would be sufficient to 
contain a quantity of materials one hundred and thirty-three 
times greater than the whole mass of continents, islands, and 
oceans, on its surface, and the foundations on which they are 
supported. We have the strongest reasons, however, to con- 
clude, that the earth, in its general structure, is one solid mass, 
from the surface to the centre, excepting perhaps, a few ca- 
verns scattered, here and there, amidst its subterraneous re- 
cesses : and that its density gradually increases from its 
surface to its central regions. What an enormous mass of 



OMNIPOTENCE OP THE DEITY. 87 

materials, then, is comprehended within the limits of that globe 
on which we tread ! The mind labours, as it were, to com- 
prehend the mighty idea, and after all its exertion, feels itself 
unable to take in such an astonishing magnitude at one com- 
prehensive grasp. How great must be the power of that 
Being who commanded it to spring from nothing into exist- 
ence, who " measureth the ocean in the hollow of his hand, 
who weigheth the mountains in scales, and hangeth the earth 
upon nothing \V 

It is essentially requisite, before proceeding to the survey 
of objects and magnitudes of a superior order, that we should 
endeavour, by such a train of thought as the preceding, to form 
gome tolerable and clear conception of the bulk of the globe 
we inhabit ; for it is the only body we can use as a standard 
of comparison to guide the mind in its conceptions, when it 
roams abroad to other regions of material existence. And, 
from what has been now stated it appears, that we have no 
adequate conception of a magnitude of so vast an extent ; or, 
at least, that the mind cannot, in any one instant, form to itself 
a distinct and comprehensive idea of it, in any measure corres- 
ponding to the reality. 

Hitherto, then, we have fixed only on a determinate magni- 
tude — -on a scale of a few inches, as it were, in order to assist 
us in our measurement and conception of magnitudes still 
more august and astonishing. When we contemplate, by the 
light of science, those magnificent globes which float around 
us, in the concave of the sky, the earth with all its sublime 
scenery, stupendous as it is, dwindles into an inconsiderable 
ball. If we pass from our globe to some of the other bodies 
of the planetary system, we shall find that one of these stu- 
pendous orbs is more than 900 times the size of our world, 
and encircled with a ring 200,000 miles in diameter, which 
would nearly reach from the earth to the moon, and would en- 
close within its vast circumference, several hundreds of 
worlds as large as ours. Another of these planetary bodies, 
which appears to the vulgar eye only as a brilliant speck on the 
Vault of heaven, is found to be of such a size, that it would re- 
quire 1,400 globes of the bulk of the earth to form one equal 
to it in dimensions. The whole of the bodies which compose 
the solar system, (without taking the sun and the comets into 
account,) contain a mass of matter 2,500 times greater than 
that of the earth. The sun himself is 520 times larger than 
all the planetary globes taken together ; and one million, three 
hundred thousand times larger than the terraqueous globe. 
This is one of the most glorious and magnificent visible ob- 



38 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

jects, which either the eye, or the imagination, can contem- 
plate ; especially when we consider, what perpetual, and 
incomprehensible, and powerful influence he exerts, what 
warmth, and beauty, and activity, he diffuses, not only on 
the globe we inhabit, but over the more extensive regions of 
surrounding worlds. His energy extends to the utmost limits 
of the planetary system — to the planet Herschel, which re- 
volves at the distance of 1,800 millions of miles from his sur- 
face, and there he dispenses light, and colour, and comfort, to 
all the beings connected with that far-distant orb, and to all 
the moons which roll around it. 

Here the imagination begins to be overpowered and bewil- 
dered in its conceptions of magnitude, when it has advanced 
scarcely a single step in its excursions through the materia 1 
world : For it is highly probable that all the matter contained 
within the limits of the solar system, incomprehensible as its 
magnitude appears, bears a smaller proportion to the whole 
mass of the maierial universe, than a single grain of sand to all 
the particles of matter contained in the body of the sun and his 
attending planets. 

If we extend our views from the solar system to the starry 
heavens, we have to penetrate, in our imagination, a space 
which the swiftest ball that was ever projected, though in per- 
petual motion, would not traverse in ten hundred thousand 
years. In those trackless regions of immensity, we behold an 
assemblage of resplendent globes, similar to the sun in size, 
and in glory, and, doubtless, accompanied with a retinue of 
worlds, revolving, like our own, around their attractive influ- 
ence. The immense distance at which the nearest stars are 
known to be placed, proves that they are bodies of a prodigi- 
ous size, not inferior to our sun, and that they shine, not by 
reflected rays, but by their own native light. But bodies en- 
circled with such refulgent splendour, would be of little use in 
the economy of Jehovah's empire, unless surrounding worlds 
were cheered by their benign influence, and enlightened by 
their beams. Every star is, therefore, with good reason, con- 
cluded to be a sun, no less spacious than ours, surrounded by 
a host of planetary globes, which revolve around it as a cen- 
tre, and derive from it light, and heat, and comfort. Nearly 
a thousand of these luminaries may be seen in a clear winter 
night, by the naked eye ; so that a mass of matter equal to a 
thousand solar systems, or to thirteen hundred and twenty mil- 
lions of globes of the size of the earth, may be perceived, by 
every common observer, in the canopy of heaven. But all the 
celestial orbs which are perceived by the unassisted sight, do 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 39 

not form the eighty thousandth part of those which may be 
descried by the help of optical instruments. The telescope 
has enabled us to descry, in certain spaces of the heavens, 
thousand of stars where the naked eye could scarcely discern 
twenty. The late celebrated astronomer, Dr. Herschel, has 
informed us, that, in the most crowded parts of the Milky-way, 
when exploring that region with his best glasses, he has had 
fields of view which contained no less than 588 stars, and 
these were continued for many minutes : so that " in one quar- 
ter of an hour's time there passed no less than one hundred 
and sixteen thousand stars through the field of view of his 
telescope." 

It has been computed, that nearly one hundred millions of 
stars might be perceived by the most perfect instruments, 
were all the regions of the sky thoroughly explored. And 
yet, all this vast assemblage of suns and worlds, when com- 
pared with what lies beyond tho utmost boundaries of human 
vision, in the immeasurable spaces of creation, may be no 
more than as the smallest particle of vapour to the immense 
ocean. Immeasurable regions of space lie beyond the ut- 
most limits of mortal view, into which even imagination itself 
can scarcely penetrate, and which are, doubtless, replenished 
with the operations of Divine Wisdom and Omnipotence. 
For, it cannot be supposed, that a being so diminutive as 
man, whose stature scarcely exceeds six feet — who vanishes 
from the sight at the distance of a league — whose whole 
habitation is invisible from the nearest star — whose powers of 
vision are so imperfect, and whose mental faculties are so 
limited— -it cannot be supposed that man, who " dwells in tab- 
ernacles of clay, who is crushed before the moth," and chain- 
ed down, by the force of gravitation, to the surface of a small 
planet, — should be able to descry the utmost boundaries of 
the empire of Him who fills immensity, and dwells in " light 
unapproachable." That portion of his dominions, however, 
which lies within the range of our view, presents such a 
scene of magnificence and grandeur, as must fill the mind of 
every reflecting person with astonishment and reverence, and 
constrain him to exclaim, " Great is our Lord, and of great 
power, his understanding is infinite." " When I consider the 
heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which 
thou hast ordained, — what is man that thou art mindful of 
him !" " I have heard of thee by hearing of the ear ;" I have 
listened to subtle disquisions on thy character and perfec- 
tions, and have been but littie affected, " but now mine eye 



40 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

seeth thee ; wherefore I humble myself, and repent in dust 
and ashes." 

In order to feel the full force of the impression made by such 
contemplations, the mind must pause at every step, in its ex- 
cursions through the boundless regions of material existence : 
for it its not by a mere attention to the figures and numbers 
by which the magnitudes of the great bodies of the universe 
are expressed, that we arrive at the most distinct and ample 
conceptions of objects so grand and overwhelming. The mind, 
in its intellectual range, must dwell on every individual scene 
it contemplates, and on the various objects of which it is com- 
posed. It must add scene to scene, magnitude to magni- 
tude, and compare smaller objects with greater — a range of 
mountains with the whole earth, the earth with the planet 
Jupiter, Jupiter with the sun, the sun with a thousand stars, 
a thousand stars with 80 millions, and 80 millions with all the 
boundless extent which lies beyond the limits of mortal vision; 
and, at every step of this mental process, sufficient time must 
be allowed for the imagination to expatiate on the objects 
before it, till the ideas approximate, as near as possible, to the 
reality. In order to form a comprehensive conception of the 
extent of the terraqueous globe, the mind must dwell on an 
extensive landscape, and the objects with which it is adorned ; 
it must endeavour to survey the many thousands of diversified 
landscapes which the earth exhibits — the hills and plains, the 
lakes and rivers, and mountains, which stretch in endless 
variety over its surface — it must dive into the vast caverns of 
the ocean — penetrate into the subterraneous regions of the 
globe, and wing its way amidst clouds and tempests, through 
the surrounding atmosphere. It must next extend its flight 
through the most expansive regions of the solar system, 
realizing, in imagination, those magnificent scenes which can 
be described neither by the naked eye, nor by the telescope ; 
and comparing the extent of our sublunary world, with the 
more magnificent globes that roll around us. Leaving the sun 
and all his attendant planets behind, till they have diminished 
to the size of a small twinkling star, it must next wing its way 
to the starry regions, and pass from one system of worlds to 
another, from one Nebulae* to another, from one region of 
Nebulae to another, till it arrive at the utmost boundaries of 
creation which human genius has explored. It must also 
endeavor to extend its flight beyond all that is visible by the 
best telescopes, and expatiate at large in that boundless ex- 

* For an account of the Nebula, see Ch. II. Art. Astrmomy. 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 41 

pause into which no human eye has yet penetrated, and which 
is, doubtless, replenished with other worlds, and systems, and 
firmaments, where the operations of infinite power and benefi- 
cence are displayed in endless variety, throughout the illimit- 
able regions of space. 

Here, then, with reverence, let us pause, and wonder! 
Over all this vast assemblage of material existence, God pre- 
sides. Amidst the diversified objects and intelligences it 
contains, he is eternally and essentially present. By his un- 
erring wisdom, all its complicated movements are directed. 
By his Almighty flat, it emerged from nothing into existence, 
and is continually supported from age to age. " He spake 

AND IT WAS DONE ; HE COMMANDED AND IT STOOD FAST." 

" By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all 
the host of them by the spirit of his mouth." What an aston- 
ishing display of Divine power is here exhibited to our view ! 
How far transcending all finite comprehension must be the 
energies of Him who only kt spake, and it was done ;" who 
only gave the command, and this mighty system of the uni- 
verse, with all its magnificence, started into being ! The in- 
finite ease with which this vast fabric was reared, leads us 
irresistibly to conclude, that there are powers and energies in 
the Divine mind which have never yet been exerted, and 
which may unfold themselves to intelligent beings, in the pro- 
duction of still more astonishing and magnificent eifects, dur- 
ing an endless succession of existence. That man who is 
not impressed with a venerable and overwhelming sense of 
the power and majesty of Jehovah, by such comtemplations, 
must have a mind incapable of ardent religious emotions, and 
unqualified for appreciating the grandeur of that Being "whose 
kingdom ruleth over all." And shall such ennobling views be 
completely withheld from a Christian audience 1 Shall it be 
considered as a matter of mere indifference, whether their views 
of the Creator's works be limited to the sphere of a few miles 
around them, or extended to ten thousand worlds ? — whether 
they shall be left to view the operations of the Almighty 
throughout eternity past and to come, as confined to a small 
globe placed in the immensity of space, with a number of bril- 
liant studs fixed in the arch of heaven, at a few miles distance ; 
or, as extending through the boundless dimensions of space? — 
whether they shall be left to entertain no higher idea of the 
Divine majesty than what may be due to one of the superior 
orders of the seraphim or cherubim, — or, whether they shall bo 
directed to form the most august conceptions of the King eter- 
nal, immortal, and invisible, corresponding to the displays he 

4 



42 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

has given of his glory in his visible works ? If it be not, both 
reason and piety require, that such illustrations of the Divine 
perfections should occasionally be exhibited to their view. 

In the next place, the rapid motions of the great bodies of 
the universe, no less than their magnitudes, display the Infinite 
Power of the Creator. 

We can acquire accurate ideas of the relative velocities of 
moving bodies, only by comparing the motions, with which 
we are familiar, with one another, and with those which lie 
beyond the general range of our minute inspection. We can 
acquire a pretty accurate conception of the velocity of a ship, 
impelled by the wind — of a steam-boat — of a race horse — of 
a bird darting through the air — of an arrow flying from a bow 
— and of the clouds when impelled by a stormy wind. The 
velocity of a ship is from 8 to 12 miles an hour — of a race 
horse, from 20 to 30 miles — of a bird, say from 50 to 60 miles, 
and of the clouds, in a violent hurricane, from 80 to 100 miles 
an hour. The motion of a ball from a loaded cannon is in- 
comparably swifter than any of the motions now stated ; but 
of the velocity of such a body we have a less accurate idea ; 
because, its rapidity being so great, we cannot trace it distinct- 
ly by the eye through its whole range, from the mouth of the 
cannon to the object against which it is impelled. By experi- 
ments, it has been found, that its rate of motion is from 4S0 
to 800 miles in an hour, but it is retarded every moment, by 
the resistance of the air and the attraction of the earth. This 
velocity, however, great as it is, bears no sensible proportion 
to the rate of motion which is found among the celestial orbs. 
That such enormous masses of matter should move at all, is 
wonderful ; but when we consider the amazing velocity with 
which they are impelled, we are lost in astonishment. The 
planet Jupiter, in describing his circuit round the sun, moves 
at the rate of 29,000 miles an hour. The planet Venus, one 
of the nearest and most brilliant of the celestial bodies, and 
about the same size as the earth, is found to move through the 
spaces of the firmament at the rate of 76,000 miles an hour ; 
and the planet Mercury, with a velocity of no less than 150,000 
miles an hour, or 1750 miles in a minute — a motion two hun- 
dred times swifter than that of a cannon ball. 

These velocities will appear still more astonishing, if we 
consider the magnitude of the bodies which are thus impelled, 
and the immense forces which are requisite to carry them 
along in their courses. However rapidly a ball flies from the 
mouth of a cannon, it is the flight of a body only a few inches 
in diameter ; but one of the bodies, whose motion has been 






OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 43 

just now stated, is eighty-nine thousand miles in diameter, and 
would comprehend, within its vast circumference, more than 
a thousand globes as large as the earth. Could we contem- 
plate such motions, from a fixed point, at the distance of only 
a few hundreds of miles from the bodies thus impelled — it 
would raise our admiration to its highest pitch, it would over- 
whelm all our faculties, and, in our present state, would pro- 
duce an impression of awe, and even of terror, beyond the 
power of language to express. The earth contains a mass of 
matter equal in weight to at least 2,200,000,000,000,000,000,- 
000 tons, supposing its mean density to be only about 2J 
times greater than water. To move this ponderous mass a 
single inch beyond its position, were it fixed in a quiescent 
state, would require a mechanical force almost beyond the 
power of numbers to express. The physical force of all the 
myriads of intelligences within the bounds of the planetary 
system, though their powers were far superior to those of 
man, would be altogether inadequate to the production of such 
a motion. How much more must be the force requisite to 
impel it with a velocity one hundred and forty times swifter 
than a cannon ball, or 68,000 miles an hour, the actual rate of 
its motion, in its course round the sun ! But whatever de- 
gree of mechanical power would be requisite to produce such 
a stupendous effect, it would require a force one hundred and 
fifty times greater to impel the planet Jupiter, in his actual 
course, through the heavens ! Even the planet Saturn, one of 
the slowest moving bodies of our system, a globe 900 times 
larger than the earth, is impelled through the regions of space 
at the rate of 22,000 miles an hour, carrying along with him 
two stupendous rings, and seven moons larger than ours, 
through his whole course round the central luminary. Were 
we placed within a thousand miles of this stupendous globe, 
(a station which superior beings may occasionally occupy,) 
where its hemisphere, encompassed by its magnificent rings, 
would fill the whole extent of our vision — the view of such a 
ponderous and glorious object, flying with such amazing velo- 
city before us, would infinitely exceed every idea of grandeur 
we can derive from terrestrial scenes, and overwhelm our 
powers with astonishment and awe. Under such an emo- 
tion, we could only exclaim, " Great and Marvellous are 
thy works, Lord God Almighty !" The ideas of strength 
and power implied in the impulsion of such enormous masses 
of matter, through the illimitable tracts of space, are forced 
upon the mind with irresistible energy, far surpassing what 
any abstract propositions or reasonings can convey ; and con - 



44 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

strain us to exclaim, " Who is a strong Lord like unto thee ! 
Thy right hand is become glorious in power ! the Lord God 
omnipotent reigneth !" 

If we consider the immense number of bodies thus impelled 
through the vast spaces of the universe — the rapidity with 
which the comets, when near the sun, are carried through the 
regions they traverse, — if we consider the high probability, if 
not absolute certainty, that the sun, with all his attendant 
planets and comets, is impelled with a still greater degree of 
velocity towards some distant region of space, or around some 
wide circumference — that all the thousands of systems of that 
nebulae to which the sun belongs, are moving in a similar man- 
ner — that all the nebulse in the heavens are moving around 
some magnificent central body — in short, that all the suns and 
worlds in the universe are in rapid and perpetual motion, as 
constituent portions of one grand and boundless empire, of 
which Jehovah is the Sovereign — and, if we consider still 
farther, that all these mighty movements have been going on, 
without intermission, during the course of many centuries, 
and some of them, perhaps, for myriads of ages before the 
foundations of our world were laid — it is impossible for the 
human mind to form any adequate idea of the stupendous 
forces which are in incessant operation throughout the un- 
limited empire of the Almighty. To estimate such mechani- 
cal force, even in a single instance, completely baffles the 
mathematician's skill, and sets the power of numbers at de- 
fiance. " Language," and figures, and comparisons, are 
" lost in wonders so sublime," and the mind, overpowered 
with such reflections, is irresistibly led upwards, to search for 
the cause in that Omnipotent Being who upholds the pil- 
lars of the universe — the thunder of whose power none can 
comprehend. While contemplating such august objects, how 
emphatic and impressive appears the language of the sacred 
oracles, " Canst thou by searching find out God ? Canst thou 
find out the Almighty to perfection ? Great things doth he 
which we cannot comprehend. Thine, O Lord, is the great- 
ness, and the glory, and the majesty ; for all that is in heaven 
and earth is thine. Among the gods there is none like unto 
thee, O Lord, neither are there any works like unto thy works. 
Thou art great, and dost wondrous things, thou art God alone. 
Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting 
God, the Lord, the Creator of all things, fainteth not, neither 
is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. Let all 
the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 45 

stand in awe of him ; for, he spake, and it was done ; he com- 
manded, and it stood fast." 

Again, the immense spaces which surround the heavenly 
bodies, and in which they perform their revolutions, tend to 
expand our conceptions on this subject, and to illustrate the 
magnificence of the Divine operations. In whatever point of 
view we contemplate the scenery of the heavens, an idea of 
grandeur irresistibly bursts upon the mind ; and, if empty 
space can, in any sense, be considered as an object of sub- 
limity, nothing can fill the mind with a grander idea of mag- 
nitude and extension, than the amplitude of the scale on which 
planetary systems are constructed. Around the body of the 
sun there is allotted a cubical space, 3,600 millions of miles in 
diameter, in which eleven planetary globes revolve — every one 
being separated from another, by intervals of many millions of 
miles. The space which surrounds the utmost limits of our 
system, extending in every direction, to the nearest fixed stars, 
is, at least, 40,000,000,000,000 miles in diameter ; and, it is 
highly probable, that every star is surrounded by a space of 
equal, or even of greater extent. A body impelled with the 
greatest velocity which art can produce, — a cannon ball, for 
instance, would require twenty years to pass through the space 
that intervenes between the earth and the sun, and four mil- 
lions, seven hundred thousand years, ere it could reach the 
nearest star. Though the stars seem to be crowded together in 
clusters, and some of them almost to touch one another, yet the 
distance between any two stars which seem to make the near- 
est approach, is such as neither words can express, nor ima- 
gination fathom. These immense spaces are as unfathomable 
on the one hand, as the magnitude of the bodies which move 
in them, and their prodigious velocities, are incomprehensible 
on the other ; and they form a part of those magnificent pro- 
portions according to which the fabric of universal nature w r as 
arranged — all corresponding to the majesty of that infinite and 
incomprehensible Being, " who measures the ocean in the 
hollow of his hand, and meteth out the heavens with a span/' 
How wonderful that bodies at such prodigious distances should 
exert a mutual influence on one another ! that the moon at the 
distance of 240,000 miles should raise tides in the ocean, and 
currents in the atmosphere ! that the sun, at the distance of 
ninety-five millions of miles, should raise the vapors, move the 
ocean, direct the course of the winds, fructify the earth, and 
distribute light, and heat, and color, through every region of the 
globe ; yea, that his attractive influence, and fructifying ener- 
gy, should extend even to the planet Herschel, at the distance 

4* 



46 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER* 

of eighteen hundred millions of miles ! So that, in every point 
of view in which the universe is contemplated, we perceive the 
same grand scale of operation by which the Almighty has ar- 
ranged the provinces of his universal kingdom. 

We would now ask, in the name of all that is sacred, whe- 
ther such magnificent manifestations of Deity ought to be 
considered as irrelevant in the business of religion, and 
whether they ought to be thrown completely into the shade, in 
the discussions which take place in religious topics, in " the 
assemblies of the saints?' If religion consists in the intellec- 
tual apprehension of the perfections of God, and in the moral 
effects produced by such an apprehension — if all the rays of 
glory emitted by the luminaries of heaven, are only so man) 
reflections of the grandeur of Him who dwells in light unap 
proachable — if they have a tendency to assist the mind in 
forming its conceptions of that ineffable Being, whose uncre- 
ated glory cannot be directly contemplated — and if they are 
calculated to produce a sublime and awful impression on all 
created intelligences, — shall we rest contented with a less 
glorious idea of God than his works are calculated to afford ? 
Shall we disregard the works of the Lord, and contemn " the 
operations of his hands," and that, too, in the face of all the 
invitations on this subject, addressed to us from heaven ? For 
thus saith Jehovah : " Lift up your eyes on high, and behold, 
who hath created these things, who bringeth forth their host 
by number. — I, the Lord, who maketh all things, who stretch- 
eth forth the heavens alone, and spread abroad the earth by 
himself; all their host have I commanded." And, if, at the 
command of God, we lift up our eyes to the " firmament of 
his power," surely we ought to do it, not with a brute " uncon- 
scious gaze," not with the vacant stare of a savage, not as if 
we were still enveloped with the mists and prejudices of the 
dark ages — but as surrounded by that blaze of light which 
modern science has thrown upon the scenery of the sky, in or- 
der that we may contemplate, with fixed attention, all that 
enlightened reason, aided by the nicest observations, has ascer- 
tained respecting the magnificence of the celestial orbs. To 
overlook the sublime discoveries of modern times, to despise 
them, or to call in question their reality, as some religionists 
have done, because they bring to our ears such astonishing re- 
ports of the " eternal power" and majesty of Jehovah — is to 
act as if we were afraid lest the Deity should be represented 
as more grand and magnificent than he really is, and as if we 
would be better pleased to pay him a less share of homage and 
adoration than is due to his name. 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITV. 47 

Perhaps some may be disposed to insinuate, that the views 
now stated are above the level of ordinary comprehension, and 
founded too much on scientific considerations, to be stated in 
detail to a common audience. To any insinuations of this 
kind, it may be replied, that such illustrations as those to which 
we have referred, are more easily comprehended than many 
of those abstract discussions to which they are frequently ac- 
customed ; since, they are definite and tangible, being derived 
from those objects which strike the senses and the imagina- 
tion. Any person of common understanding may be made to 
comprehend the leading ideas of extended space, magnitude, 
and motion, which have been stated above, provided the des- 
criptions be sufficiently simple, clear and well defined ; and 
should they be at a loss to comprehend the principles on which 
the conclusions rest, or the mode by which the magnificence 
of the works of God has been ascertained, an occasional re- 
ference to such topics would excite them to inquiry and inves- 
tigation, and to the exercise of their powers of observation 
and reasoning on such subjects — which are too frequently 
directed to far less important objects. The following illustra- 
tion, however, stands clear of every objection of this kind, and 
is level to the comprehension of every man of common sense. 
— -Either the earth moves round its axis once in twenty-four 
hours — or, the sun, moon, planets, comets, stars, and the 
whole frame of the universe move around the earth, in the 
same time. There is no alternative, or third opinion, that 
can be formed on this point. If the earth revolve on its axis 
every 24 hours, to produce the alternate succession of day 
and night, the portions of its surface about the equator must 
move at the rate of more than a thousand miles an hour, since 
the earth is more than twenty-four thousand miles in circum- 
ference. This view of the fact, when attentively considered, 
furnishes a most sublime and astonishing idea. That a globe 
of so vast dimensions, with all its load of mountains, conti- 
nents, and oceans, comprising within its circumference a mass 
of two hundred and sixty-four thousand million of cubical 
miles, should whirl around with so amazing velocity, gives us a 
most august and impressive conception of the greatness of that 
Power which first set it in motion, and continues the rapid 
whirl from age to age ! Though the huge masses of the Alpine 
mountains were in a moment detached from their foundations* 
carried aloft through the regions of the air, and tossed into the 
Mediterranean sea, it would convey no idea of a force equal 
to that w r hich is every moment exerted, if the earth revolve on 
'ts axis. But should the motion of our earth be called in 



48 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

question, or denied, the idea of force, or power, will be inde- 
finitely increased. For, in this case, it must necessarily be 
admitted, that the heavens, with all the innumerable host of 
stars, have a diurnal motion around the globe ; which motion 
must be inconceivably more rapid than that of the earth, on 
the supposition of its motion. For, in proportion as the ce- 
lestial bodies are distant from the earth, in the same proportion 
would be the rapidity of their movements. The sun, on this 
supposition, would move at the rate of 414,000 miles in u 
minute ; the nearest stars, at the rate of fourteen hundred mil- 
lions of miles in a second : and the most distant luminaries, 
with a degree cf swiftness which no numbers could express.* 
Such velocities, too, would be the rate of motion, not merely 
of a single globe like the earth, but of all the ten thousand 
times ten thousand spacious globes that exist within the boun- 
daries of creation. This view conveys an idea of power, still 
more august and overwhelming than any of the views already 
stated, and we dare not presume to assert, that such a degree 
of physical force is beyond the limits of infinite perfection ; 
but on the supposition it existed, it would confound all our 
ideas of the wisdom and intelligence of the Divine mind, and 
would appear altogether inconsistent with the character which 
the scripture gives us of the Deity as " the only wise God." 
For, it would exhibit a stupendous system of means altogether 
disproportioned to the end intended — namely, to produce the 
alternate succession of day and night to the inhabitants of our 
globe, which is more beautifully and harmoniously affected 
by a simple rotation on its axis, as is the case with the other 
globes which compose the planetary system. Such considera- 
tions, however, show us, that, on whatever hypothesis, whether 
on the vulgar or the scientific, or in whatever other point of 
view, the frame of nature may be contemplated, the mind is 
irresistibly impressed with ideas of power, grandeur and magni- 
ficence. And, therefore, when an inquiring mind is directed 
to contemplate the works of God, on any hypothesis it may 
choose, it has a tendency to rouse reflection, and to stimulate 
the exercise of the moral and intellectual faculties, on objects 
which are worthy of the dignity of immortal minds. 

We may now be, in some measure, prepared to decide, 
whether illustrations of the omnipotence of the Deity, derived 
from the system of the material world, or those vague and me- 
taphysical disquisitions which are generally given in theologi- 
cal systems, be most calculated to impress the mind, and to 

* Seo Appendix, No, 1. 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 49 

inspire it with reverence and adoration. The following is a 
description given of this attribute of God, by a well known 
systematic writer, who has generally been considered as a judi- 
cious and orthodox divine : — 

" God is almighty, Rev. i. 18, chap. iv. S. This will evi- 
dently appear, in that, if he be infinite in all his other perfec- 
tions, he must be so in power : thus, if he be omniscient, he 
knows what is possible or expedient to be done ; and if he be 
an infinite sovereign, he wills whatever shall come to pass. 
Now this knowledge would be insignificant, and his power 
inefficacious, were he not infinite in power, or almighty. Again , 
tills might be argued from his justice, either in rewarding or 
punishing ; for if he were not infinite in power, he could do 
neither of these, at least so far as to render him the object of 
that desire or fear, which is agreeable to the nature of these 
perfections ; neither could infinite faithfulness accomplish all 
the promises which he hath made, so as to excite that trust, 
and dependence which is a part of religious worship ; nor 
could he say without limitation, as he does, / have spoken it, 1 
will also bring it to pass ; 1 have purposed it, I will also do it ; 
Isa. xlvi. 11. — But since power is visible in, and demonstra- 
ted by its effect, and infinite power, by those effects which 
cannot be produced by a creature, we may observe the al- 
mighty power of God in all his works, both of nature and grace : 
thus his eternal power is understood, as the apostle says, By 
the things that are made, Rom. i. 20, not that there was an 
eternal production of things, but the exerting this power in 
time, proves it to be infinite and truly divine ; for no creature 
can produce the smallest particle of matter out of nothing, 
much less furnish the various species of creatures, with those 
endowments in which they excel one another, and set forth 
their Creator's glory. And the glory of his power is no less 
visible in the works of providence, whereby he upholds all 
things, disposes of them according to his pleasure, and brings 
about events which only he who has an almighty arm can ef- 
fect." — Kidgleifs Body of Divinity, p. 39. 

This is the whole that Dr. Ridgley judges it necessary to 
state, in illustration of the attribute of Omnipotence, except 
what he says in relation to its operation " in the work of grace," 
in "the propagation and success of the Gospel," &c. subjects, 
to which the idea of power, or physical energy, does not pro- 
perly apply. Such, however, are the meagre and abstract dis- 
quisitions generally given by most systematic writers. There 
is a continual play on the term " Infinite," which, to most 
mind3, conveys no idea at all, unless it be associated with 



50 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ample conceptions of motion, magnitude, and extension ; and 
it is constantly applied to subjects to which it was never in- 
tended to apply, such as " infinite faithfulness, infinite justice, 
infinite truth," &c. an application of the term which is never 
sanctioned by Scripture, and which has a tendency to intro- 
duce confusion into our conceptions of the perfections of God. 
Granting that the statements and reasonings in such an extract 
as the above were unquestionable, yet what impression can 
they make upon the mind ? Would an ignorant person feel 
his conceptions of the Divinity much enlarged, or his moral 
powers aroused by such vague and general statements ? And, 
if not, it appears somewhat unaccountable, that those sources 
of illustration, which would convey the most ample and defi- 
nite views of the " eternal power" and glory of God, should be 
studiously concealed from the view. Yague descriptions and 
general views of any object will never be effectual in awaken- 
ing the attention, and arresting the faculties of the mind. The 
heart will always remain unimpressed, and the understanding 
will never be thoroughly excited in its exercise, unless the 
intellect have presented before it a well-defined and interesting 
object, and be enabled to survey it in its various aspects ; and 
this object must always have a relation to the material world, 
whether it be viewed in connection with religion, or with any 
other subject. 



Thus I have endeavoured, in the preceding sketches, to pre- 
sent a few detached illustrations of the omnipotence and gran- 
deur of the Deity, as displayed in the vast magnitude of the 
material universe — the stupendous velocities of the celestial 
bodies— and in the immeasurable regions of space which sur- 
round them, and in which their motions are performed. Such 
a magnificent spectacle as the fabric of the universe presents — 
so majestic, God-like, and overwhelming, to beings who dwell 
" in tabernacles of clay" — was surely never intended to be 
overlooked, or to be gazed at with indifference, by creatures 
endowed with reason and intelligence, and destined to an im- 
mortal existence. In forming a universe composed of so 
many immense systems and worlds, and replenished with 
such a variety of sensitive and intelligent existences, the Crea- 
tor, doubtless, intended that it should make a sublime and 
reverential impression on the minds of all the intellectual be- 
ings to whom it might be displayed, and that it should convey 
some palpable idea of the infinite glories of his nature, in so 
far as material objects can be supposed to adumbrate the 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY". 51 

perfections of a spiritual and uncreated Essence. Dwelling in 
" light inaccessible" to mortals, and for ever veiled from the 
highest created being, by the pure spirituality and immensity 
of his nature, there is no conceivable mode by which the in- 
finite grandeur of Deity could be exhibited to finite intelli- 
gences, but through the medium of those magnificient opera- 
tions which are incessantly going forward throughout the 
boundless regions of space. Concealed from the gaze of all 
the " principalities and powers" in heaven, in the unfathoma- 
ble depths of his Essence, he displays his presence in the 
universe he has created, and the glory of his power, by 
launching magnificent worlds into existence, by adorning them 
with diversified splendors, by peopling them with various ranks 
of intelligent existence, and by impelling them in their move- 
ments through the illimitable tracts of creation. 

It will readily be admitted by every enlightened Christian, 
that it must be a highly desirable attainment, to acquire the 
most glorious idea of the Divine Being which the limited ca- 
pacity of our minds is capable of receiving. This is one of 
the grand difficulties in religion. The idea of a Being purely 
immaterial, yet pervading infinite space, and possessed of 
no sensible qualities, confounds and bewilders the human in- 
tellect, so that its conceptions, on the one hand, are apt to 
verge towards extravagancy, while, on the other, they are apt 
to degenerate into something approaching to inanity. Mere 
abstract ideas and reasonings respecting infinity, eternity, 
and absolute perfection, however sublime we may conceive 
them to be, completely fail in arresting the understanding, and 
affecting the heart ; our conceptions become vague, empty, 
and confused, for want of a material vehicle to give them or- 
der, stability, and expansion. Something of the nature of vast 
extension, of splendid and variegated objects, and of mighty 
movements, is absolutely necessary, in order to convey to 
spirits dwelling in bodies of clay, a definite conception of the 
invisible glories of the Eternal Mind ; and, therefore, in the 
immense variety of material existence with which the universe 
is adorned, we find every requisite assistance of this kind to 
direct and expand our views of the great object of our adora- 
tion. When the mind is perplexed and overwhelmed with its 
conceptions, when it labors, as it were, to form some well- 
defined conceptions of an Infinite Being, it here finds some 
tangible objects on which to fix, some sensible substratum for 
its thoughts to rest upon for a little, while it attempts to pene- 
tiate, in its excursions, into those distant regions which eye 
hath not seen, and to connect the whole of its mental survey 



52 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

with the energies of the " King, Eternal, Immortal, and In- 
visible." 

To such a train of thought we are uniformly directed in the 
sacred oracles, where Jehovah is represented as describing 
himself by the effects which his power and wisdom have pro- 
duced. — ■" Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlast- 
ing salvation. For thus saith Jehovah that created the hea- 
vens ; God himself that formed the earth and made it ; he 
hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to 
be inhabited ; I am the Lord, and there is none else." " I 
have made the earth and created man upon it, my hands have 
stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I command- 
ed." " Hearken unto me, Israel : I am the first, I also am 
the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the 
earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens : when I 
call unto them, they stand up together." " Who hath mea- 
sureth the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out 
heaven with the span, and weighed the mountains in scales ? 
He who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants 
thereof, are as grasshoppers ; that stretched out the heavens 
as a curtain, that fainteth not, neither is w r eary." " The Lord 
made the heavens, the heaven of heavens, with all their 
hosts ; honor and majesty are before him, and his kingdom 
ruleth over all."* Such sublime descriptions of Jehovah, and 
references to his material works, are reiterated in every por- 
tion of the sacred volume ; and the import and sublimity of 
such expressions cannot be fully appreciated, unless we take 
into view all the magnificent objects which science has unveil- 
ed in the distant regions of creation. 

This subject is calculated, not merely to overpower the in- 
tellect with ideas of sublimity and grandeur, but also to pro- 
duce a deep moral impression upon the heart ; and a Christian 
nhilosopher would be deficient in his duty, were he to overlook 
tnis tendency of the objects of his contemplation. 

One important moral effect which this subject has a natural 
tendency to produce, is, profound humility. What an in- 
significant being does man appear, when he compares himself 
with the magnificence of creation, and with the myriads of 
exalted intelligences with which it is peopled ! What are all 
the honors and splendors of this earthly ball, of which mortals 
are so proud, when placed in competition with the resplendent 
glories of the skies ? Such a display as the Almighty has 
given of himself, in the magnitude and variety of his works, 

* lsa. xlv. 18, 12. xlviii. 12, 13. xl. 12, 22, &c 






OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 53 

was evidently intended " to stain the pride" of all human 
grajideur, that " no flesh should glory in his presence." Yet, 
there is no disposition that appears so prominent among puny 
mortals, as pride, ambition, and vain-glory — the very opposite 
of humility, and of all those tempers which become those 
" who dwell in tabernacles of clay, and whose foundation is in 
the dust." Even without taking into account the state of man 
as a depraved intelligence, what is there in his situation that 
should inspire him with " lofty looks," and induce him to look 
down on his fellow-men with supercilious contempt ? He 
derived his origin from the dust, he is allied with the beasts 
that perish, and he is fast hastening to the grave, where his 
carcass will become the food for noisome reptiles. He is 
every moment dependant on a Superior Being for every pulse 
that beats, and every breath he draws, and for all that he pos- 
sesses ; he is dependant even on the meanest of his species 
for his accommodations and comforts. He holds every enjoy- 
ment on the most precarious tenure, — his friends may be 
snatched in a moment from his embrace ; his riches may take 
to themselves wings and fly away ; and his health and beauty 
may be blasted in an hour, by a breath of wind. Hunger and 
thirst, cold and heat, poverty and disgrace, sorrow and disap- 
pointment, pain and disease, mingle themselves with ail his 
pursuits and enjoyments.- — His knowledge is circumscribed 
within the narrowest limits, his errors and follies are glaring 
and innumerable ; and he stands as an almost undistinguish- 
able atom, amidst the immensity of God's work's. Still, with 
all these powerful inducements to the exercise of humility, 
man dares to be proud and arrogant. 

-" Man, proud Man, 



Dressed in a little brief authority, 

Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven 

As make the angels weep." 

How affecting to contemplate the warrior, flushed with dia- 
bolical pride, pursuing his conquests through heaps of slain, 
in order to obtain possession of " a poor pitiable speck of 
perishing earth ;' exclaiming in his rage, " I will pursue, I 
will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lust shall be satisfied 
upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy 
them" — to behold the man of rank glorying in his wealth, 
and his empty titles, and looking around upon the inferior 
orders of his fellow-mortals as the worms of the dust — 
to behold the man of ambition pushing his way through bribery, 
and treachery, and slaughter, to gain possession of a throne t 
that he may look down with proud pre-eminence upon his 

5 






54 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

fellows — to behold the haughty airs of the noble dame, inflated 
with the idea of her beauty, and her high birth, as she struts 
along, surveying the ignoble crowd as if they were the dust 
beneath her feet — to behold the smatterer in learning, puffed 
up with a vain conceit of his superficial acquirements, when 
he has scarcely entered the porch of knowledge — in fine, to 
behold all ranks from the highest to the lowest, big with an 
idea of their own importance, and fired with pride and re- 
venge at the least provocation, whether imaginary or real ! 
How inconsistent the manifestations of such tempers, with 
the many humiliating circumstances of our present condition, 
and with the low rank which we hold in the scale of Universal 
Being ? 

It is not improbable, that there are in the universe, intelli- 
gences of a superior order, in whose breasts pride never found 
a place — to whom this globe of ours, and all its inhabitants, 
appear as inconsiderable as a drop of water filled with micro- 
scopic animalcule, does to the proud lords of this earthly re- 
gion. There is at least one Being to whom this sentiment is 
applicable, in its utmost extent : — " Before Him all nations 
are as a drop of a bucket, and the inhabitants of the earth as 
grasshoppers ; yea, they are as nothing, and are counted to 
him less than nothing and vanity." Could we wing our way, 
with the swifness of a seraph, from sun to sun, and from 
world to world, till we had surveyed all the systems visible to 
the naked eye, which are only as a mere speck in the map of 
the universe — could we, at the same time, contemplate the 
glorious landscapes and scenes of grandeur they exhibit — 
could we also mingle with the pure and exalted intelligences 
which people those resplendent abodes, and behold their hum- 
ble and ardent adorations of their Almighty Maker, their 
benign and condescending deportment towards one another ; 
" each esteeming another better than himself," and all united 
in the bonds of the purest affection, without one haughty or 
discordant feeling — what indignation and astonishment would 
seize us, on our return to this obscure corner of creation, to 
behold beings enveloped in the mist of ignorance, immersed 
in depravity and wickedness, liable to a thousand accidents, 
exposed to the ravages of the earthquake, the volcano, and 
the storm ; yet proud as Lucifer, and glorying in their shame ! 
We should be apt to view them, as we now do those bedlam- 
ites, who fancy themselves to be kings, surrounded by theii 
nobles, while they are chained to the walls of a noisome dun- 
geon. " Sure pride was never made for man." How abhor- 
rent, then, must it appear in the eyes of superior beings, who 






OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 55 

have taken an expansive range through the field of creation ? 
How abhorrent it is in the sight of the Almighty, and how 
amiable is the opposite virtue, we learn fiom his word: — 
M Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the 
Lord." — "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the 
humble." — " Thus saith the High and Lofty One, who in- 
habiteth eternity, I dwell in the high and holy place ; with 
him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit ; to revive 
the spirit of the humble, and the heart of the contrite ones." — 
While, therefore, we contemplate the omnipotence of God, in 
the immensity of creation, let us learn to cultivate humility 
and self-abasement. This w r as one of the lessons which the 
pious Psalmist deduced from his survey of the nocturnal 
heavens. When he beheld the moon walking in the bright- 
ness, and the innumerable host of stars, overpowered with a 
sense of his own insignificance, and the greatness of divine 
condescension, he exclaimed, " Lord ! what is man, that 
thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou shouldst 
visit him !" 

Again, this subject is also calculated to inspire us with 
reverence and veneration of God. Profound veneration 
of the Divine Being lies at the foundation of all religious wor- 
ship and obedience. But, in order to venerate God aright, 
we must know him ; and, in order to acquire the true know- 
ledge of him, we must contemplate him through the medium 
of those works and dispensations, by w T hich he displays the 
glories of his nature to the inhabitants of our world. I have 
already exhibited a few specimens of the stupendous opera- 
tions of his power, in that portion of the system of the uni- 
verse which lies open to our inspection ; and there is surely, 
no mind in which the least spark of piety exists, but must 
feel strong emotions of reverence and awe, at the thought 
of that Almighty and Incomprehensible Being, who impels the 
huge masses of the planetary globes, with so amazing a rapid- 
ity through the sky, and who has diversified the voids of space 
with so vast an assemblage of magnificent worlds. Ever. 
those manifestations of Deity which are confined to the globe 
we inhabit, when attentively considered, are calculated to 
rouse, even the unthinking mind, to astonishment and awe. 
The lofty mountains, and expansive plains, the mass of water 
in the mighty ocean, the thunders rolling along the sky, the 
lightnings flashing from cloud to cloud, the hurricane and the 
tempest, the volcano vomiting rivers of fire, and the earth- 
quake shaking kingdoms, and leveling cities with the ground 
— all proclaim the Majesty of Him, by whom the elements of 



56 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



he 



nature are arranged and directed, and seem to address the 
sons of men in language like this : " The Lord reigneth, he 
is clothed with majesty ; at his wrath the earth trembles ; a 
fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies." — " Let 
all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world 
stand in awe of him." 

There is one reason, among others, why the bulk of man- 
kind feel so little veneration of God, and that is, that they 
seldom contemplate, with fixed attention, " the operations of 
his hands." If we wish to cherish this sublime sentiment in 
our hearts, we must familiarize our minds to frequent excur- 
sions over all those scenes of Creation and Providence, which 
the volume of nature, and the volume of inspiration unfold to 
view. We must endeavour to assist our conceptions to the 
grandeur of these objects, by every discovery which has been, 
or rriay yet be made, and by every mode of illustration by 
which a sublime and comprehensive idea of the particular 
object of contemplation may be obtained. — If we would wish 
to acquire some definite, though imperfect conception of the 
physical extent of the universe, our minds might be assisted 
by such illustrations as the following : — Light flies from the 
sun with a velocity of nearly two hundred thousand miles in a 
moment of time, or, about 1,400,000 times swifter than the 
motion of a cannon ball : Suppose that one of the highest 
order of intelligences is endowed with a power of rapid mo- 
tion superior to that of light, and with a corresponding degree 
of intellectual energy ; that he has been flying without inter- 
mission, from one province of creation to another, for six 
thousand years, and will continue the same rapid course for a 
thousand millions of years to come ; it is highly probable, if 
not absolutely certain, that, at the end of this vast tour, he 
would have advanced no farther than " the suburbs of crea- 
tion" — and that all the magnificent systems of material and 
intellectual beings he had surveyed, during his rapid flight, 
and for such a length of ages, bear no more proportion to the 
whole Empire of Omnipotence, than the smallest grain of 
sand does to all the particles of matter of the same size con- 
tained in ten thousand worlds. Nor need we entertain the 
least fear, that the idea of the extent of the Creator's power, 
conveyed by such a representation, exceeds the bounds of 
reality. On the other hand, it must fall almost infinitely short 
of it. For, as the poet has justly observed — 

" Can man conceive beyond what God can do ?" 

"Were a seraph, in prosecuting the tour of creation in the 
manner now stated, ever to arrive at a limit beyond which 



. 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 57 

farther displays of the Divinity could be perceived, the thought 
would overwhelm his faculties with unutterable anguish and 
horror : he would feel, that he had now, in some measure, 
comprehended all the plans and operations of Omnipotence, 
and that no farther manifestation of the Divine glory remained 
to be explored. But we may rest assured, that this can never 
happen in the case of any created intelligence. We have 
every reason to believe, both from the nature of an Infinite 
Being, and from the vast extent of creation already explored, 
that the immense mass of material existence, and the endless 
variety of sensitive and intellectual beings with which the uni- 
verse is replenished, are intended by Jehovah, to present to 
his rational offspring, a shadow, an emblem, or a representa- 
tion, (in so far as finite extended existence can be a repre- 
sentation,) of the Infinite Perfections of his nature, which 
would otherwise have remained for ever impalpable to all 
subordinate intelligences. 

In this manner, then, might we occasionally exercise our 
minds on the grand and diversified objects which the universe 
exhibits ; and, in proportion as we enlarge the sphere of our 
contemplations, in a similar proportion will our views of God 
himself be extended, and a corresponding sentiment of vene- 
ration impressed upon the mind. For the soul of man can- 
not venerate a mere abstract being, that was never manifested 
through a sensible medium, however many lofty terms may 
be used to describe his perfections. It venerates that Ineffa- 
ble Being, who conceals himself behind the scenes of Crea- 
tion, through the medium of the visible displays he exhibits of 
hi3 Power, Wisdom, and Beneficence, in the Economy of 
Nature, and in the Records of Ptevelation. Before the uni- 
verse was formed, Jehovah existed alone, possessed of every 
attribute which he now displays. But, had only one solitary 
intelligence been created, and placed in the infinite void, 
without a material substratum beneath and around him, he 
could never have been animated with a sentiment of profound 
veneration for his Creator ; because no objects existed to ex- 
cite it, or to show, that his Invisible Maker was invested with 
those attributes which he is now 4mown to possess. Accor- 
dingly, we find, in the sacred writings, that, when a sentiment 
of reverence is demanded from the sons of men, those sensi- 
ble objects which are calculated to excite the emotion, are 
uniformly exhibited. " Fear ye not me ? saith the Lord. — 
W ill ye not tremble at my presence ? who have placed the 
sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it 
cannot pass it ; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, 

5* 



58 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

yet they cannot prevail ; though they roar, yet can they not 
pass over it." " Who would not fear thee, King of nations ? 
Thou art the true God, and an everlasting King. — Thou hast 
made the earth by thy power, thou hast established the world 
by thy wisdom, thou hast stretched out the heavens by thy dis- 
cretion. When thou utterest thy voice there is a noise of 
waters in the heavens, thou causest the vapours to ascend 
from the ends of the earth, thou makest lightnings with rain, 
and bringest forth the winds out of thy treasures."* 

But, however enlarged and venerable conceptions of God 
we may derive from the manifestations of his power, they 
must fall infinitely short of what is due to a being of bound- 
less perfection. For there may be attributes in the Divine 
Essence, of which we cannot possibly form the least concep- 
tion — attributes which cannot be shadowed forth or represent- 
ed by any portion of the material or intellectual world yet dis- 
covered by us, or by all the mighty achievements by which hu- 
man redemption was effected — attributes which have not been 
yet displayed, in their effects, to the highest orders of intelli- 
gent existence. And, therefore, as that excellent philosopher 
and divine, ti*e honorable Mr. Boyle, has well observed — 
" Our ideas of God, however so great, will rather express the 
greatness of our veneration, than the Immensity of his Perfec- 
tions ; and the notions worthy of the most intelligent men, 
are far short of being worthy the incomprehensible God — the 
brightest idea we can frame of God being infinitely inferior, 
and no more than a Parhelion^ in respect of the sun ; for 
though that meteor is splendid, and resembles the sun, yet it 
resides in a cloud, and is not only much beneath the sun in 
distance, but inferior in bigness and splendor." 

In short, were we habitually to cherish that profound ven- 
eration of God which his works are calculated to inspire, 
with what humility would we approach the presence of this 
August Being ! with what emotions of awe would we present 
our adorations ! and with what reverence would we talk of 
his inscrutable purposes, and incomprehensible operations ! 
We would not talk about him, as some writers have done, with 
the same ease and indifference, as a mathematician would talk 

* Jcrem. x. 7 — 13. 

f A Parhelion or Mock- Sun, is a meteor in the form of a very bright 
light appearing on one side of the sun, and somewhat resembling the ap- 

Eearance of that luminary. This phenomenon is supposed to be produced 
y the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays from a watery cloud. — 
Sometimes three or four of these parhelia, all of them bearing a certain re- 
semblance to the real sun, have been seen at one time. 



OMNIPOTENCE OF THE DEITY. 59 

about the properties of a triangle, or a philosopher about the 
effects of a mechanical engine ; nor would we treat, with a 
spirit of levity, any of the solemn declarations of his word, 
or the mighty movements of his providence. We would be 
ever ready to join with ardor in the sublime devotions of the 
inspired writers, " Great and marvellous, are thy works, Lord 
God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of 
saints. Who would not fear thee, Lord, and glorify thy 
name? Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants 
of the world stand in awe of him." 

Lastly, the views we have taken of the omnipotence and 
grandeur of the Deity are calculated to inspire us with hope 
and confidence in the prospect of that eternal existence which 
lies before us. The period of our existence in this terrestrial 
scene will soon terminate, and those bodies through which we 
now hold a correspondence with the visible creation, crumbled 
into dust. The gradtial decay, and the ultimate dissolution 
of human bodies, present a scene at which reason stands 
aghast ; and, on a cursory survey of the chambers of the 
dead, it is apt to exclaim, in the language of despair, " Can 
these dry bones live V A thousand difficulties crowd upon the 
mind which appear repugnant to the idea, that " beauty shall 
again spring out of the ashes, and life out of the dust." But, 
when we look abroad to the displays of Divine power and in- 
telligence, in the wide expanse of Creation, we perceive that 

« Almighty God 

Has done much more ; nor is his arm impaired 
Through length of days. — And what he can, he will ; 
His faithfulness stands bound to see it done." 

We perceive that he has created systems in such vast pro- 
fusion, that no man can number them. The worlds every 
moment under his superintendence and direction, are unques- 
tionably far more numerous than all the human beings who 
have hitherto existed, or will yet exist till the close of time. 
And, if he has not only arranged the general features of each 
of these worlds, and established the physical laws, by which 
its economy is regulated, but has also arranged the diversified 
circumstances, and directs the minutest movements of the 
myriads of sensitive and intellectual existences it contains, we 
ought never, for a moment, to doubt, that the minutest parti- 
cles of every human body, however widely separated from 
each other, and mingled with other extraneous substances, are 
known to him whose presence pervades all space ; and that 
all the atoms requisite for the construction of the Resurrection- 
body will be re-assembled for this purpose " by the energy of 



60 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

that mighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to 
himself." If we suppose that a number of human beings, 
amounting to three hundred thousand millions, shall start from 
the grave into new life, at the general resurrection, and that 
the atoms of each of these bodies are just now under the 
special superintendence of the Almighty — and that, at least 
an equal number of worlds are under his particular care and 
direction — the exertion of power and intelligence, in the for- 
mer case, cannot be supposed to be greater that what is requi- 
site in the latter. To a Being possessed of infinite power, 
conjoined with boundless Intelligence, the superintendence of 
countless atoms, and of countless w r orlds, is equally easy, 
where no contradiction is implied. For as the poet has well 
observed, — 

" He summons into being, with like ease, 
A whole creation, and a single grain." 

And since this subject tends to strengthen our hope of a re- 
surrection from the dead, it is also calculated to inspire us with 
confidence in the prospect of those eternal scenes which will 
burst upon the view, at the dissolution of all terrestrial things. 
Beyond the period fixed for the conflagration of this world, "a 
wide and unbounded prospect lies before us ;" and though, at 
present, " shadows, clouds, and darkness rest upon it," yet the 
boundless magnificence of the Divine empire which science 
has unfolded, throws a radiance over the scenes of futurity, 
which is fraught with consolation in the view of " the wreck of 
matter and the crush of worlds." It opens to us a prospect 
of perpetual improvement in knowledge and felicity ; it pre- 
sents a field in which the human faculties may be for ever ex- 
panding, for ever contemplating new scenes of grandeur rising 
to the view, in boundless perspective, through an interminable 
succession of existence. It convinces us that the happiness of 
the eternal state will not consist in an unvaried repetition of 
the same perception and enjoyments, but that new displays of 
the Creator's glory will be continually bursting on the aston- 
ished mind, world without end. And as we know the same 
beneficence and care which are displayed in the arrangement 
of systems of worlds, are also displayed in supporting and 
providing for the smallest microscopic animalcules, we have no 
reason to harbor the least fear, lest we should be overlooked in 
the immensity of creation, or lost amidst the multiplicity of 
those works among which the Deity is incessantly employed ; 
for, as he is Omnipresent and Omniscient, his care and influ- 
ence must extend to everv creature he has formed. There- 



WISDOM OF THE DEITY. 61 

fore, though " the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and 
the earth, and all the works therein be dissolved, yet, we, ac- 
cording to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
wherein dwelleth righteousness." 



SECTION III. 

On the Wisdom and Intelligence of the Deity. 

In surveying the system of nature with a Christian and a 
Philosophic eye, it may be considered in different points of 
view. It may be viewed either as displaying the power and 
magnificence of the Deity, in the immense quantity of mate- 
rials of which it is composed, and in the august machinery and 
movements by which its economy is directed ; — or, as mani- 
festing his Wisdom, in the nice adaptation of every minute 
circumstance to the end it was intended to accomplish ; — or 
as illustrating his unbounded beneficence in the provision 
which is made for the accommodation and happiness of the 
numerous tribes of sentient and intelligent beings it contains. 
Having, in the preceding section, endeavored to exhibit some 
of those objects which evince the Omnipotence of Deity, and 
the pious emotions they are calculated to excite, I shall now 
offer a few popular illustrations of Divine Wisdom, as display- 
ed in the arrangements of the material world — which shall 
chiefly be confined to those objects which are most prominent 
and obvious to the vulgar eye. 

Wisdom is that perfection of an intelligent agent, by which 
he is enabled to select and employ the most proper means in 
order to accomplish a good and important end. It includes the 
idea of knowledge or intelligence, but may be distinguished 
from it. Knowledge is opposed to ignorance, wisdom is op- 
posed to folly or error in conduct. As applied to God, it may 
be considered as comprehending the operations of his Omni- 
science and benevolence, or, in other words, his knowledge to 
discern, and his disposition to choose those means and ends 
which are calculated to promote the order and the happiness 
of the universe. 

The Wisdom of God is, doubtless, displayed in every ar 
rangement he has made throughout all the provinces of his 
immense and eternal kingdom, however far they may be re- 
moved from the sphere of human observation. But it is only 



)2 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

n those parts of the system of nature which lie open to our 
particular investigation, that the traces of this perfection can 
be distinctly perceived. The Heavens declare the glory of 
God's Wisdom, as well as of his Power. The planetary sys- 
tem — that portion of the heavens with which we are best ac- 
quainted — displays both the magnificence and the skill of its 
Divine Author, — in the magnitudes, distances, revolutions, 
proportions, and uses of the various globes of which it is com- 
posed, and in the diversified apparatus by which light and 
darkness are alternately distributed. The sun, an immense 
luminous world, by far the largest body in the system, is placed 
in the centre. No other position would have suited for an 
equable distribution of illumination and heat through the dif- 
ferent parts of the system. Around him, at different distances, 
eleven primary planets revolve, accompanied with eighteen 
secondaries, or moons, — all in majestic order and harmony, 
no one interrupting the movements of another, but invariably 
keeping the paths prescribed them, and performing their revo- 
lutions in their appointed times. To all these revolving 
globes, the sun dispenses motion, light, heat, fertility, and 
other unceasing energies, for the comfort and happiness of 
their respective inhabitants — without which, perpetual sterility, 
eternal winter, and eternal night, would reign over every re- 
gion of our globe, and throughout surrounding worlds. 

The distance at which the heavenly bodies, particularly the 
sun, are placed from the earth, is a manifest evidence of Di- 
vine Wisdom. If the sun were much nearer us than he is at 
present, the earth, as now constituted, would be wasted and 
parched with excessive heat ; the waters would be turned into 
vapor, and the rivers, seas, and oceans, would soon disappear, 
leaving nothing behind them but frightful barren dells and 
gloomy caverns ; vegetation would completely cease, and the 
tribes of animated nature languish and die. On the other 
hand, were the sun much farther distant than he now is, or 
were his bulk, or the influence of his rays, diminished one half 
of what they now are, the land and the ocean would soon be- 
come one frozen mass, and universal desolation and sterility 
would overspread the fair face of nature, and, instead of a 
pleasant and comfortable abode, our globe would become a 
frightful desert, a state of misery and perpetual punishment.* 

* It forms no objection to these remarks, that caloric, or the matter of 
heat, does not altogether depend upon the direct influence of the solar rays. 
The substance of caloric may be chiefly connected with the constitution 
of the globe we inhabit. But still, it is quite Certain, that the earth, as 
presently constituted, would suffer effects most disastrous to sentient beings. 



WISDOM OF THE DEITY. 63 

But herein is the wisdom of God displayed, that he has formec 
the suvi of such a determinate size, and placed it at such ^ 
convenient distance, as not to annoy, but to refresh and chee« 
us, and to enliven the soil with its genial influence ; so tha 
we plainly perceive, to use the language of the prophet, tha 
" Pie hath established the world by his wisdom, and stretcher 
out the heavens by his understanding." 

The rotation of the several planetary globes around thei 
axis, to produce the alternate succession of day and night 
strikingly demonstrates the wisdom and benevolence of thei 
great Author. Were the earth and the other planetary world 
destitute of a diurnal motion, only one half of their surface 
could be inhabited, and the other half would remain a dark an< 
cheerless desert. The sun would be the only heavenly orl 
which would be recognized by the inhabitants of each respect 
ive world, as existing in the universe, and that scene of gran 
deur which night unfolds in the boundless expanse of the sky 
would be for ever veiled from their view. For, it appears tc 
be one grand design of the Creator, in giving these bodies 
diurnal motion, not only to cheer their inhabitants with ligh] 
and warmth, and the gay colouring produced by the solai 
rays ; but also to open to them a prospect of other portions of 
his vast dominions, which are dispersed in endless variety 
throughout the illimitable regions of space ; in order that they 
may acquire a more sublime impression of the glory of his 
kingdom, and of his eternal Power and Godhead. But, were 
perpetual day to irradiate the planets, it would throw an eter- 
nal and impenetrable veil over the glories of the sky, behind 
which, the magnificent operations of Jehovah's power would 
be, in a great measure, concealed. It is this circumstance 
which we should consider as the principal reason why a rota- 
tory motion has been impressed on the planetary globes ; and 
not merely that a curtain of darkness might be thrown around 
their inhabitants, during the repose of sleep, as in the world in 
which we dwell. For, in some of the other planetary worlds 
belonging to our system, the intelligent beings with which they 
are peopled, may stand in no need of that nocturnal repose 
which is necessary for man ; their physical powers may be in- 
capable of being impaired, and their mental energies may be 

were it removed much nearer to, or much farther from the central luminary. 
Those planets which are removed several hundreds of millions of miles 
farther from the sun than our globe, may possibly experience a degree of 
heat much greater than ours ; but, in this case, the constitution of the solid 
parts of these globes, and of their surrounding atmospheres, must be very 
different from what obtains in the physical arrangements of our globe. 



64 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER 

in perpetual exercise. And in some of those bodies which 
are surrounded with an assemblage of rings and moons, as the 
planet Saturn, the diversified grandeur of their celestial phe- 
nomena, in the absence of the sun, may present a scene of 
contemplation and enjoyment, far more interesting than all 
the splendours of their noon-day. Besides, had the planets 
no motion round their axis, and were both their hemispheres 
supposed to be peopled with inhabitants, their physical state 
and enjoyments would be as opposite to each other, as if they 
lived under the government of two distinct independent be- 
ings. While the one class was basking under the splendors 
of perpetual day, the other would be involved in all the horrors 
of an everlasting night. While the one hemisphere would be 
parched with excessive heat, the other would be bound in the 
fetters of eternal ice ; and, in such a globe as ours, the mo- 
tion of the tides, the ascent of the vapors, the currents of the 
atmosphere, the course of the winds, the benign influences of 
the rains and dews, and a thousand other movements which 
produce so many salutary and beneficial effects would be 
completely deranged. Hence we find that in all the planetary 
bodies on which observations can conveniently be made, a 
rotatory motion actually exists, in the secondary, as well as in 
the primary planets, and even in the sun himself, the centre, 
and the mover of the whole : in which arrangement of the Al- 
mighty Creator, the evidences of wisdom and design are 
strikingly apparent. 

This amazing scene of Divine workmanship and skill, 
which the planetary system exhibits, we have reason to be- 
lieve, is multiplied, and diversified, to an indefinite extent, 
throughout all the other systems of creation, displaying to the 
intelligences of every region, " the manifold wisdom of God." 
For there can be no question, that every star we now behold, 
either by the naked eye, or by the help of a telescope, is the 
centre of a system of planetary worlds, where the agency of 
God, and his unsearchable wisdom, may be endlessly varied, 
and, perhaps, more strikingly displayed than even in the sys- 
tem to which we belong. These vast globes of light could 
never have been designed merely to shed a few glimmering 
rays on our far distant world ; for the ten thousandth part of 
them has never yet been seen by the inhabitants of the earth, 
since the Mosaic creation, except by a few astronomers of 
the past and the present age ; and the light of many of them, 
in all probability, has never yet reached us ; aud perhaps 
never will, till the period of " the consummation of all terres- 
trial things." They were not made in vain ; for such a sup* 



THE WISDOM OF THE DEITY. 65 

position would be inconsistent with every idea we can form of 
the attributes of a Being of infinite' perfection. They were 
not intended merely to diversify the voids of infinite space 
with a useless splendor, which has no relation to intellectual 
natures ; for this would give us a most distorted and inconsist- 
ent idea of the character of Him who is " the only wise God ;" 
and we are told, by an authority which cannot be questioned, 
that " by his wisdom he made the heavens, and stretched them 
out by his understanding." The only rational conclusion, 
therefore, which can be deduced, is, that they are destined to 
distribute illumination and splendor, vivifying influence, and 
happiness, among incalculable numbers of intelligent beings, 
of various degrees of physical, moral, and intellectual excel- 
lence. And, wherever the Creator has exerted his Almighty 
energies in the production of sensitive and intellectual natures, 
we may rest assured, that there also, his infinite wisdom and 
intelligence, in an endless variety of arrangements, contriv- 
ances, and adaptations, are unceasingly displayed. 

But, after all, whatever evidences of contrivance and design 
the celestial globes may exhibit, it is not in the heavens that 
the most striking displays of Divine wisdom can be traced by 
the inhabitants of our world. It is only a few general relatione 
and adaptations that can be distinctly perceived among the orb? 
of the firmament ; though, in so far as we are able to trace th«» 
purposes which they subserve, the marks of beauty, order, and 
design, are uniformly apparent. But we are placed at too 
great a distance from the orbs of heaven, to be able to inves- 
tigate the particular arrangements which enter into the physi- 
cal and moral economy of the celestial worlds. Were we 
transported to the surface of the planet Jupiter, and had an 
opportunity of surveying, at leisure, the regions of that vast 
globe, and the tribes of sensitive and intellectual existence 
which compose its population — of contemplating the relations 
of its moons to the pleasure and comfort of its inhabitants — 
the constitution of its atmosphere as to its reflective and re- 
fractive powers, in producing a degree of illumination to com- 
pensate for the great distance of that planet from the sun — its 
adaptation to the functions of animal life — the construction of 
the visual organs of its inhabitants, and the degree of sensi- 
bility they possess corresponding to the quantity of light re- 
ceived from the sun — the temperature of the surface and atmo- 
sphere of this globe corresponding to its distance from the cen- 
tral source of heat, and to the physical constitution of sensi- 
tive beings — in short, could we investigate the relations which 
inanimate nature, in all its varieties and sublimities, bears to 

6 



66 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the necessities and the happiness of the animated existences 
that traverse its different regions, we should, doubtless, behold 
a scene of Divine Wisdom and intelligence, far more admira- 
ble and astonishing than even that which is exhibited in our 
sublunary world. — But since it is impossible for us to investi- 
gate the economy of other worlds, while we are chained down 
to this terrestrial sphere, we must direct our attention to those 
arrangements and contrivances in the constitution of our own 
globe, which lie open to our particular inspection, in order to 
perceive more distinctly the benevolent designs of Him " in 
whom we live and move, and have our being." And here an 
attentive observer will find, in almost every object, when min- 
utely examined, a display of goodness and intelligence, which 
will constrain him to exclaim, " the depth of the riches both 
of the wisdom and the knowledge of God." 

Wisdom, considered as consisting in contrivance, or the se- 
lection of the most proper means in order to accomplish an 
important end, may be exemplified and illustrated in a variety 
of familiar objects in the scene of nature. 

The earth on which we tread, was evidently intended by the 
Creator to support man and other animals, along with their 
habitations, and to furnish those vegetable productions which 
are necessary for their subsistence ; and, accordingly, he has 
given it that exact degree of consistency which is requisite 
for these purposes. Were it much harder than it now is ; 
were it, for example, as dense as a rock, it would be incapable 
of cultivation, and vegetables could not be produced from its 
surface. Were it softer, it would be insufficient to support us, 
and we should sink at every step, like a person walking in a 
quagmire. Had this circumstance not been attended to in its 
formation, the earth would have been rendered useless as a 
habitable world, for all those animated beings which now trav- 
erse its surface. The exact adjustment of the solid parts of 
our globe to the nature and necessities of the beings which 
inhabit it, is, therefore, an instance, and an evidence of Wis- 
dom. 

The diversity of surface which it every where presents, in 
the mountains and vales with which it is variegated, indicates 
the same benevolent contrivance and design. If the earth 
were divested of its mountains, and its surface every where 
uniformly smooth, there would be no rivers, springs, or foun- 
tains ; for water can flow only from a higher to a lower place ; 
the vegetable tribes would droop and languish; man and other 
animals would be deprived of what is necessary for their exis- 
tence and comfort ; we should be destitute of many useful 






MOUNTAINS. 67 

stones, minerals, plants, and trees, which are now produced 
on the surface, and in the interior of mountains ; the sea itself 
would become a stagnant marsh, or overflow the land ; and the 
whole surface of nature in our terrestrial sphere, would present 
an unvaried scene of dull uniformity. Those picturesque and 
sublime scenes which fire the imagination of the poet, and which 
render mountainous districts so pleasing to the philosophic tra- 
veller, would be completely withdrawn ; and all around, when 
compared with such diversified landscapes, would appear as 
fatiguing to the eye as the vast solitudes of the Arabian de - 
serts, or the dull monotony of the ocean. But in consequence 
of the admirable distribution of hills and mountains over tho 
surface of our globe, a variety of useful and ornamental effects 
is produced. Their lofty summits are destined by providence 
to arrest the vapors which float in the regions of the air ; their 
internal cavities form so many spacious basins for the recep- 
tion of waters distilled from the clouds ; they are the original 
sources of springs and rivers, which water and fertilize the 
earth ; they form immense magazines, in which are deposited 
stones, metals, and minerals, which are of so essential service 
in the arts that promote the comfort of human life ; they serve 
for the production of a vast variety of herbs and trees ; they 
arrest the progress of storms and tempests ; they afford shel- 
ter and entertainment to various animals which minister to the 
wants of mankind : In a word, they adorn and embellish the 
face of nature — they form thousands of sublime and beautiful 
landscapes, and afford from their summits the most delightful 
orospects of the plains below. All these circumstances de- 
monstrate the consummate wisdom of the Great Architect of 
mature, and lead us to conclude, that mountains, so far from 
neing rude excrescences of nature, as some have asserted, 
form an essential part in the constitution, not only of our globe, 
but of all habitable worlds. And this conclusion is confirmed, 
so far as our observation extends, with regard to the moon, and 
several of the planetary bodies which belong to our system, 
whose surfaces are found to be diversified by sublime ramifi- 
cations of mountain scenery ; which circumstance forms one 
collateral proof, among many others, that they are the abodes 
of sentient and intellectual beings. 

Again, the coloring which is spread over the face of nature 
indicates the wisdom of the Deity. It is essential to the pre- 
sent mode of our existence, and it was evidently intended by 
the Creator, that we should be enabled easily to recognize the 
forms and properties of the various objects with which we are 
surrounded. But were the objects of nature destitute of color 



68 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

or were the same unvaried hue spread over the face of crea- 
tion, we should be destitute of all the entertainments of vision, 
and be at a loss to distinguish one object from another. We 
should be unable to distinguish rugged precipices from fruitful 
hills ; naked rocks from human habitations ; the trees from 
the hills that bear them, and the tilled from the untitled lands. 
"We should hesitate to pronounce whether an adjacent en- 
closure contain a piece of pasturage, a plot of arable land, or a 
field of corn ; and it would require a little journey, and a mi- 
nute investigation, to determine such a point. We could not 
determine whether the first person we met were a soldier in 
his regimentals, or a swain in his Sunday suit ; a bride in her 
ornaments, or a widow in her weeds." Such would have 
been the aspect of nature, and such the inconveniences to 
which we should have been subjected, had God allowed us 
light, without the distinction of colors. We could have dis- 
tinguished objects only by intricate trains of reasoning, and by 
circumstances of time, place, and relative position. And, to 
what delays and perplexities should we have been reduced, 
had we been obliged every moment to distinguish one thing 
from another by reasoning ! Our whole life must then have 
been employed, rather in study than in action ; and, after all, 
we must have remained in eternal uncertainty as to many 
things, which are now quite obvious to every one as soon as 
he opens his eyes. We could neither have communicated our 
thoughts by writing, nor have derived instruction from others 
through the medium of books : so that we should now have 
been almost as ignorant of the transactions of past ages, as 
we are of the events which are passing in the planetary 
worlds ; and, consequently, we could never have enjoyed a 
written revelation from heaven, nor any other infallible guide 
to direct us in the path to happiness, if the Almighty had not 
distinguished the rays of light, and painted the objects around 
us with a diversity of colors, — so essentially connected are the 
minutest, and the most magnificent works of Deity. But 
now, in the present constitution of things, color characterizes 
the class to which every individual belongs, and indicates, 
upon the first inspection, its respective quality. Every object 
wears its peculiar livery, and has a distinguishing mark by 
which it is characterized. 

The different hues which are spread over the scenery of the 
world, are also highly ornamental to the face of nature, and 
afford a variety of pleasures to the eye and the imagination. 
It is this circumstance which adds a charm to the fields, the 
valleys, and the hills, the lofty mountain, the winding river, 



COLORS 69 

and the expansive lake ; and which gives a splendor and 
sublimity to the capacious vault of heaven. Color is, there- 
fore, an essential requisite to every world inhabited by sensi- 
tive beings ; and we know, that provision has been made for 
diffusing it throughout all the globes which may exist in the 
distant regions which our telescopes have penetrated ; for the 
light which radiates from the most distant stars is capable of 
being separated into the prismatic colors, similar to those 
which are produced by the solar rays ; which furnishes a pre- 
sumptive proof that they are intended to accomplish designs 
in their respective spheres analogous to those which light sub- 
serves in our terrestrial habitation, — or, in other words, that 
they are destined to convey to the minds of sentient beings, 
impressions of light and color, and, consequently, beings sus- 
ceptible of such impressions must reside within the sphere, or 
more immediate influence of these far distant orbs. 

The same benevolent design is apparent in the general color 
which prevails throughout the scene of sublunary nature. Had 
the fields been clothed with hues of a deep red, or a brilliant 
white, the eye would have been dazzled with the splendor of 
their aspect. Had a dark-blue, or a black color generally 
prevailed, it would have cast a universal gloom over the face 
of nature. But an agreeable green holds the medium between 
these two extremes, equally remote from a dismal gloom and 
excessive splendor, and bears such a relation to the structure 
of the eye, that it refreshes, instead of tiring it, and supports, 
instead of diminishing its force. At the same time, though 
one general color prevails over the landscape of the earth, it is 
diversified by an admirable variety of shades, so that every 
individual object in the vegetable world can be accurately dis- 
tinguished from another ; thus producing a beautiful and varie- 
gated appearance over the whole scenery of nature. " Who 
sees not in all these things, that the hand of the Lord hath 
wrought this ?" 

If from the earth we turn our attention to the loafers, we 
shall perceive similar traces of the exquisite wisdom and skill 
of the Author of nature. Water is one of the most essential 
elementary parts in the constitution of our globe, without which 
the various tribes of beings which now people it could not exist. 
It supplies a necessary beverage to man, and to all the animals 
that people the earth and the air. It forms a solvent for a 
great variety of solid bodies ; it is the element in which an 
infinitude of organized beings pass their existence ; it acts an 
important part in conveying life and nourishment to all the 
tribes of the vegetable kingdom, and gives salubrity to the 

6* 



70 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

atmospherical regions. Collected in immense masses in th6 
basins of the sea, it serves as a vehicle for ships, and as a me- 
dium of communication between people of the most distant 
lands. Carried along with a progressive motion over the beds 
of streams and of rivers, it gives a brisk impulse to the air, 
and prevents the unwholesome stagnation of vapors ; it re- 
ceives the filth of populous cities, and rids them of a thousand 
nuisances. By its impulsion it becomes the mover of a mul- 
titude of machines ; and, when rarified into steam, it is trans 
formed into one of the most powerful and useful agents under 
the dominion of man. All which beneficial effects entirely 
depend on the exact degree of density, or specific gravity, 
which the Creator has given to its constituent parts. Had it 
been much more rarified than it is, it would have been alto- 
gether unfit to answer the purposes now specified ; the whole 
face of the earth would have been a dry and barren waste ; 
vegetable nature could not have been nourished ; our floating 
edifices could not have been supported ; the lightest bodies 
would have sunk, and all regular intercourse with distant 
nations would have been prevented. On the other hand, had 
its parts been much denser than they are ; for example, had 
they been of the consistency of a thin jelly, similar disastrous 
effects would have inevitably followed ; no ships could have 
ploughed the ocean ; no refreshing beverage would have been 
supplied to the animal tribes ; the absorbent vessels of trees, 
herbs and flowers, would have been unable to imbibe the 
moisture requisite for their nourishment ; and we should thus 
have been deprived of all the beneficial effects we now derive 
from the use of that liquid element, and of all the diversified 
scenery of the vegetable world. But the configuration and 
consistency of its parts are so nicely adjusted to the constitu- 
tion of the other elements, and to the wants of the sensitive 
and vegetable tribes, as exactly to subserve the ends intended 
in the system of nature. 

Water has been ascertained to be a compound body formed 
by the union of two different kinds of air — oxygen and hydro- 
gen. It has the property of becoming, in certain cases, much 
lighter than air ; though, in its natural liquid state, it is 800 
times heavier than that fluid ; and has also the property of 
afterwards resuming its natural weight. Were it not for this 
property evaporation could not be produced ; and, conse- 
quently, no clouds, rain, nor dew, could be formed, to water 
and fertilize the different regions of the earth. But, in con- 
sequence of this wonderful property, the ocean becomes an 
inexhaustible cistern to our world. From its expansive sur 



WATERS. 



71 



face are exhaled those vapors which supply the rivers, and 
nourish the vegetable productions of every land. " The air 
and the sun," says an elegant writer, " constitute the mighty 
engine which works without intermission to raise the liquid 
treasures ; while the clouds serve as so many aqueducts to 
convey them along the atmosphere, and distribute them, at 
seasonable periods, and in regular proportions, through all the 
regions of the globe." 

Notwithstanding the properties now stated, motion was still 
requisite, to ensure all the advantages we now derive from the 
liquid element. Had the whole mass of waters been in a 
stagnant state, a thousand inconveniences and disastrous 
consequences would have inevitably ensued. But the All 
Wise Creator has impressed upon its various masses a circu- 
lating motion, which preserves its purity, and widely extends 
its beneficial influence. The rills pour their liquid stores into 
the rivers ; the rivers roll their watery treasures into the 
ocean ; the waters of the ocean, by a libratory motion, roll 
backwards and forwards every twelve hours, and, by means of 
currents, and the force of winds, are kept in constant agitation. 
By the solar heat, a portion of these waters is carried up into 
the atmosphere, and, in the form of clouds, is conveyed by the 
winds over various regions ; till, at last, it descends in rain 
and dew, to supply the springs " which run among the hills." 
So that there is a constant motion and circulation of the watery 
element, that it may serve as an agent for carrying forward the 
various processes of nature, and for ministering to the wants 
of man and beast. 

In fine, were the waters in a state of perpetual stagnation, 
the filth of populous cities would be accumulated to a most 
unwholesome degree ; the air would be filled with putrid ex- 
halations, and the vegetable tribes would languish and die. 
Were they deprived of the property of being evaporated, (in 
which state they occupy a space 1400 times greater than in 
their liquid state,) rain and dew could never be produced, and 
the earth would be turned into " a dry and parched wilder- 
ness ;" neither grass nor corn could be sufficiently dried to 
lay up for use ; our clothes, when washed, could never be dried ; 
and a variety of common operations, which now conduce to 
our convenience and comfort, could never be carried on. 
But the infinite wisdom of the Creator, foreseeing all the 
effects which can possibly arise from these principles of na- 
ture, has effectually provided against such disasters, by arrang- 
ing all things, in number, weight, and measure, to subserve the 



72 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

beneficial ends for which they were ordained. " He causeth 
the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth ; he sendeth 
the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They 
give drink to every beast of the field ; the wild asses quench 
their thirst. By them the fowls of heaven are refreshed, which 
sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his 
chambers, and the earth is satisfied with the fruit of his 
works." 

Let us now attend to the atmosphere, in the constitution of 
which the wisdom of God is no less conspicuous than in the 
other departments of nature. 

The atmosphere is one of the most essential appendages to 
the globe we inhabit, and exhibits a most striking scene of 
Divine skill and omnipotence. The term atmosphere is ap- 
plied to the whole mass of fluids, consisting of air, vapors, 
electric fluid, and other matters, which surround the earth to a 
certain height. This mass of fluid matter gravitates to the 
earth, revolves with it in its diurnal rotation, and is carried 
along with it in its course round the sun every year. It has 
been computed to extend about 45 miles above the earth's 
surface, and it presses on the earth with a force proportioned 
to its height and density. From experiments made by the 
barometer, it has been ascertained, that it presses with a 
weight of about 15 pounds on every square inch of the earth's 
surface ; and, therefore, its pressure on the body of a middle- 
sized man, is equal to about 32,000 lbs. or 14 tons avoirdu- 
pois, a pressure which would be insupportable, and even fatal, 
were it not equal in every part, and counterbalanced by the 
spring of the air within us. The pressure of the whole atmos- 
phere upon the earth, is computed to be equivalent to that of 
a globe of lead 60 miles in diameter, or about 5,000,000,000,- 
000,000 tons ; that is, the whole mass of air which surrounds 
the globe, compresses the earth with a force or power equal 
to that of five thousand millions of millions of tons.* This 
amazing pressure is, however, essentially necessary for the 
preservation of the present constitution of our globe, and of 
the animated beings which dwell on its surface. It prevents 
the heat of the sun from converting water, and all other fluids 
on the face of the earth, into vapor ; and preserves the ves- 
sels of all organized beings in due tone and vigor. Were the 
atmospherical pressure entirely removed, the elastic fluids 
contained in the finer vessels of men and other animals, would 

* See Appendix, No. II. 



ATMOSPHERE. 73 

inevitably burst them, and life would become extinct ;* and 
most of the substances on the face of the earth, particularly 
liquids, would be dissipated into vapor. 

The atmosphere is now ascertained to be a compound sub- 
stance, formed of two very different ingredients, termed oxy- 
gen and nitrogen gas. Of 100 measures of atmospheric air, 
21 are oxygen, and 79 nitrogen. The one, namely, oxygen, 
is the principle of combustion, and the vehicle of heat, and is 
absolutely necessary for the support of animal life, and is the 
most powerful and energetic agent in nature. The other, is 
altogether incapable of supporting either flame or animal life. 
Were we to breathe oxygen air, without any mixture or alloy, 
our animal spirits would be raised, and the fluids in our bodies 
would circulate with greater rapidity ; but we should soon in- 
fallibly perish by the rapid and unnatural accumulation of 
heat in the animal frame. If the nitrogen were extracted 
from the air, and the whole atmosphere contained nothing but 
oxygen, or vital air, combustion would not proceed in that 
gradual manner which it now does, but with the most dreadful 
and irresistible rapidity : not only wood and coals, and other 
substances now used for fuel, but eVSH Stones, iFC", a7m Gtiie7 
metallic substances, would blaze with a rapidity which would 
carry destruction through the whole expanse of nature. If 
even the proportions of the two airs were materially altered, a 
variety of pernicious effects would instantly be produced. If 
the oxygen were less in quantity than it now is, fire would lose 
its strength, candles would not diffuse a sufficient light, and 
animals would perform their vital functions with the utmost 
difficulty and pain. On the other hand, were the nitrogen 
diminished, and the oxygen increased, the air taken in by res- 
piration would be more stimulent, and the circulation of the 
animal fluids would become accelerated ; but the tone of the 

* The necessity of the atmospherical pressure, for the comfort and pre- 
servation of animal life, might be illustrated by the effects experienced by 
those who have ascended to the summits of very high mountains, or who 
have been carried to a great height above the surface of the earth in 
balloons. Acosta, in his relation of a journey among the mountains of 
Peru, states, that "he and his companions were surprised with such 
extreme pangs of straining and vomiting, not without casting up of blood 
too, and with so violent a distemper, that they would undoubtedly have 
died had they remained two or three hours longer in that elevated situa- 
tion." Count Zambeccari, and his companions, who ascended in a 
balloon, on the 7th of November, 1783, to a great height, found their 
hands and feet so swelled, that it was necessary for a surgeon to make 
incisions in the skin. In both the cases now stated, the persons ascended 
to so great a height, that the pressure of the atmosphere was not sufficient 
to counterbalance the pressure of the fluids of the body. 



74 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

vessels thus stimulated to increased action, would be destroy- 
ed, by too great an excitement, and the body would inevitably 
waste and decay. Again, were the oxygen completely ex- 
tracted from the atmosphere, and nothing but nitrogen remain- 
ed, fire and flame would be extinguished, and instant destruc- 
tion would be carried throughout all the departments of vege- 
table and animated nature. For a lighted taper will not burn 
for a single moment in nitrogen gas, and if an animal be 
plunged into it, it is instantly suffocated. 

Again, not only the extraction of any one of the component 
parts of the atmosphere, or the alteration of their respective 
proportions, but even the slightest increase or diminution of 
their specific gravity, would be attended with the most dis- 
astrous effects. The nitrogen is found to be a little lighter 
than common air, which enables it to rise towards the higher 
regions of the atmosphere. In breathing, the air which is 
evolved from the lungs, at every expiration, consists chiefly of 
nitrogen, which is entirely unfit to be breathed again, and 
therefore rises above our heads before the next inspiration. — 
Now, had nitrogen, instead of being a little lighter, been a 
slight degree heavier than common air, or of the same specific 
gravity, it would have accumulated on the surface of the earth, 
and particularly in our apartments, to such a degree as to have 
produced diseases, pestilence, and death, in rapid succession. 
But being a little lighter than the surrounding air, it flies up- 
wards, and we never breathe it again, till it enter into new and 
salutary combinations. Such is the benevolent skill which 
the Author of Nature has displayed, for promoting the com- 
fort and preservation of every thing that lives.* 

Farther, were the air colored, or were its particles much 
larger than they are, we could never obtain a distinct view of 

* The necessity of atmospherical air for the support of life, was stri- 
kingly exemplified in the fate of the unhappy men who died in the Black- 
hole of Calcutta. On the 20th of June, 1756, about 8 o'clock in the 
evening;, 146 men were forced, at the point of the bayonet, into a dungeon 
only 18 feet square. They had been but a few minutes confined in this 
infernal prison, before every one fell into a perspiration so profuse, that no 
idea can be formed of it. This brought on a raging thirst, the most diffi- 
cult respiration, and an outrageous delirium. Such was the horror of 
their situation, that every insult that could be devised against the guard 
without, and all the opprobrious names that the Viceroy and his officers 
could be loaded with, were repeated, to provoke the guard to fire upon 
them, and terminate their sufferings. Before 1 1 o'clock the same evening, 
one-third of the men were dead ; and before 6 next morning, only 23 came 
out alive, but most of them in a high putrid fever. All these dreadful 
effects were occasioned by the want of atmospheric, air, and by their 
breathing a superabundant quantity of the nitrogen emitted from their 



ATMOSPHERE. 75 

any other object. The exhalations which rise from the earth, 
being rendered visible, would disfigure the rich landscape of 
the universe, and render life disagreeable. But the Almighty, 
by rendering the air invisible, has enabled us not only to take 
a delightful and distinct survey of the objects that surround 
us, but has veiled from our view the gross humors incessant* 
ly perspired from animal bodies, the filth exhaled from 
kitchens, streets, and sewers, and every other object that 
would excite disgust. Again, were the different portio7is of 
the atmosphere completely stationary, and not susceptible of 
agitation, all nature would soon be thrown into confusion. 
The vapors which are exhaled from the sea by the heat of the 
sun would be suspended, and remain for ever fixed over those 
places from whence they arose. For want of this agitation of 
the air, which now scatters and disperses the clouds over 
every region, the sun would constantly scorch some districts, 
and be for ever hid from others ; the balance of nature would 
be destroyed ; navigation would be useless, and we could no 
longer enjoy the productions of different climates. In fine, 
were the atmosphere capable of being frozen, or converted 
into a solid mass, as all other fluids are, (and we know no 
reason why it should not be subject to congelation, but the 
will of the Creator,) the lives of every animal in the air, the 
waters, and the earth, would, in a few moments, be complete- 
ly extinguished. But the admirable adjustment of every cir- 
cumstance, in relation to this useful element, produces all the 
beneficial effects which we now experience, and strikingly de- 
monstrates, that the Intelligent Contriver of all things is 
" wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." 

From the instances now stated, we may plainly perceive, 
that if the Almighty had not a particular regard to the happi- 
ness of his intelligent offspring, and to the comfort of every 
animated existence ; or, if he wished to inflict summary pun- 
ishment on a wicked world, he could easily effect, by a very 
slight change in the constitution of the atmosphere, the entire 
destruction of the human race, and the entire conflagration of 
the great globe they inhabit, — throughout all its elementary re- 
gions. He has only to extract one of its constituent parts, 
and the grand catastrophe is at once accomplished. With 
what a striking propriety and emphasis, then, do the inspired 
writers declare, that, " In Him we live, and move, and have 
our being ;" and that " in His hand is the soul of every living 
thing, and the breath of all mankind !" 

A great variety of other admirable properties is possessed 
by the atmosphere, of which I shall briefly notice only the fol- 






76 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



lowing : — It is the vehicle of smells, by which we become ac- 
quainted with the qualities of the food which is set before us, 
and learn to avoid friose places which are damp, unwholesome, 
and dangerous. It is the medium of sounds, by means of 
which knowledge is conveyed to our minds. Its undulations, 
like so many couriers, run for ever backwards and forwards, 
to convey our thoughts to others, and theirs to us ; and to 
bring news of transactions which frequently occur at a consi* 
derable distance. A few strokes on a large bell, through the 
ministration of the air, will convey signals of distress, or of 
joy, in a quarter of a minute, to the population of a city con- 
taining a hundred thousand inhabitants. So that the air mav 
be considered as the conveyer of the thoughts of mankind, 
which are the cement of society. It transmits to our ears ah 
the harmonies of music, and expresses every passion of the 
soul : it swells the notes of the nightingale, and distributes 
alike to every ear the pleasures which arise from the harmo- 
nious sounds of a concert. It produces the blue color of the 
sky, and is the cause of the morning and the evening twilight, 
by its property of bending the rays of light, and reflecting then* 
in all directions. It forms an essential requisite for carrying 
on all the processes of the vegetable kingdom, and serves foi 
the production of clouds, rain, and dew, which nourish and 
fertilize the earth. In short, it would be impossible to enume- 
rate all the advantages we derive from this noble appendage 
to our world. Were the earth divested of its atmosphere, or 
were only two or three of its properties changed or destroyed, 
it would be left altogether unfit for the habitation of sentient 
beings. Were it divested of its undulating quality, we should 
be deprived of all the advantages of speech and conversation 
— of all the melody of the feathered songsters, and of all the 
pleasures of music ; and, like the deaf and dumb, we could 
have no power of communicating our thoughts but by visible 
signs. Were it deprived of its reflective powers, the sun 
would appear in one part of the sky of a dazzling brightness, 
while all around would appear as dark as midnight, and the 
stars would be visible at noon-day. Were it deprived of its 
refractive powers, instead of the gradual approach of the day 
and the night which we now experience, at sunrise, we should 
be transported all at once from midnight darkness to the splen- 
dor of noon-day : and, at sun-set, should make a sudden tran- 
sition from the splendors of day to all the horrors of midnight, 
which would bewilder the traveller in his journey, and strike 
the creation with amazement. In fine, were the oxygen of 
the atmosphere completely extracted, destruction would seize 



EXPANSION OF WATER IN FREEZING. 77 

on all the tribes of the living world, throughout every region 
of earth, air, and sea. 

Omitting at present the consideration of an indefinite va- 
riety of other particulars, which suggest themselves on this 
subject, I shall just notice one circumstance more, which has 
a relation both to the waters and to the atmosphere. It is a 
well known law of nature, that all bodies are expanded by heat, 
and contracted by cold. There is only one exception to this 
law which exists in the economy of our globe, and that is, the 
expansion of water, in the act of freezing. — While the parts 
of every other body are reduced in bulk, and their specific gravity 
increased by the application of cold ; water, on the contrary, 
when congealed into ice, is increased in bulk, and becomes of 
a less specific gravity than the surrounding water, and, there- 
fore, swims upon its surface. Now, had the case been other- 
wise ; had water, when deprived of a portion of its heat, fol- 
lowed the general law of nature, and, like ail other bodies, be- 
come specifically heavier than it was before, the present con- 
stitution of nature would have been materially deranged, and 
many of our present comforts, and even our very existence, 
would have been endangered. At whatever time the tempera- 
ture of the atmosphere became reduced to 32° of the common 
thermometer, or to what is called the freezing point, the water 
on the surface of our rivers and lakes would have been con- 
verted into a layer of ice ; this layer would have sunk to the 
bottom as it froze ; another layer of ice would have been im- 
mediately produced, which would also have sunk to the former 
layer, and so on in succession, till, in the course of time, all 
our rivers from the surface to the bottom, and every other por- 
tion of water, capable of being frozen, would have been con- 
verted into solid masses of ice, which all the heat of summer 
could never have melted. We should have been deprived of 
most of the advantages we now derive from the liquid ele- 
ment, and, in a short time, the face of nature would have been 
transformed into a frozen chaos. But in the existing consti- 
tution of things, all such dismal effects are prevented, in con- 
sequence of the Creator having subjected the waters to a law 
contrary to that of other fluids, by means of which the frozen 
water swims upon the surface, and prevents the cold from 
penetrating to any great depth in the subjacent fluid ; and 
when the heat of the atmosphere is increased, it is exposed to 
its genial influence, and is quickly changed into its former 
liquid state. How admirably, then, does this exception to the 
general law of nature display the infinite intelligence of the 
Great Contriver of all things, and his providential care for the 

7 



78 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

comfort of his creatures, when he arranged and established 
the economy of nature ! 

VARIETY OF NATURE. 

As a striking evidence of Divine Intelligence, we may next 
consider the immense variety which the Creator has introduced 
into every department of the material world. 

In every region on the surface of the globe, an endless multi- 
plicity of objects, all differing from one another in shape, color, 
and motion, present themselves to the view of the beholder. 
Mountains covered with forests, hills clothed with verdure, 
spacious plains adorned with vineyards, orchards, and wav- 
ing grain ; naked rocks, abrupt precipices, extended vales, 
deep dells, meandering rivers, roaring cataracts, brooks and 
rills ; lakes and gulfs, bays and promontories, seas and oceans, 
caverns and grottoes — meet the eye of the student of Nature, 
in every country, with a variety which is at once beautiful and 
majestic. Nothing can exceed the variety of the vegetable 
kingdom, which pervades all climates, and almost every por- 
tion of the dry land, and of the bed of the ocean. The im- 
mense collections of Natural History which are to be seen in 
the Museum at Paris, show, that botanists are already ac- 
quainted with nearly fifty-six thousand different species of 
plants.* And yet, it is probable, that these form but a very 
small portion of what actually exists, and that several hundreds 
of thousands of species remains to be explored by the indus- 
try of future ages. For, by far the greater part of the vegeta- 
ble world still remains to be surveyed by the scientific botanist. 
Of the numerous tribes of vegetable nature which flourish in 
the interior of Africa and America, in the immense islands of 
New Holland, New Guinea, Borneo, Summatra, Java, Cey- 
lon, Madagascar, and Japan ; in the vast regions of Tartary, 
Thibet, Siberia, and the Burman empire ; in the Phillippines, 
the Moluccas, the Ladrones, the Carolinas, the Marquesas, 
the Society, the Georgian, and in thousands of other Islands 
which are scattered over the Indian and Pacific oceans — little 
or nothing is known by the naturalists of Europe, and yet it is 
a fact which admits of no dispute, that every country hitherto 
explored, produces a variety of species of plants peculiar to 
itself; and those districts in Europe which have been fre- 
quently surveyed, present to every succeeding explorer a new 
field of investigation, and reward his industry with new dis- 
coveries of the beauties and varieties of the vegetable king- 
dom. It has been conjectured by some Naturalists, on the 

* Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, July, 1822, p. 48. 



VARIETY OF NATURE. 79 

ground of a multitude of observations, that " there is not a 
square league of earth, but what presents some one plant pe- 
culiar to itself, or, at least, which thrives there better, or ap- 
pears more beautiful than in any other part of the world." 
This would make the number of species of vegetables to 
amount to as many millions as there are of square leagues on 
the surface of the earth. 

Now, every one of these specie-s of plants differs from ano- 
ther, in its size, structure, form, flowers, leaves, fruits, mode 
of propagation, color, medicinal virtues, nutritious qualities, 
internal vessels, and the odors it exhales. They are of all 
sizes, from the microscopic mushroom, invisible to the naked 
eye, to the sturdy oak, and the cedar of Lebanon,and from the 
slender willow to the Banian tree, under whose shade 7000 
persons may find ample room to repose. A thousand different 
shades of color distinguish the different species. Every one 
wears its peculiar livery, and is distinguished by its own native 
hues; and many of their inherent beauties can be distinguished 
only by the help of the microscope. Some grow upright, 
others creep along in a serpentine form. Some flourish for 
ages, others wither and decay in a few months ; some spring 
up in moist, others in dry soils ; some turn towards the sun, 
others shrink and contract when we approach to touch them. 
Not only are the different species of plants and flowers dis- 
tinguished from each other, by their different forms, but even 
the different individuals of the same species. In a bed of 
tulips or carnations, for example, there is scarcely a flower in 
which some difference may not be observed in its structure, 
size, or assemblage of colors ; nor can any two flowers be 
found in which the shape and shades are exactly similar. Of 
all the hundred thousand millions of plants, trees, herbs, and 
flowers, with which our globe is variegated, there are not, per- 
haps, two individuals precisely alike, in every point of view in 
which they may be contemplated ; yea, there is not, perhaps, 
a single leaf in the forest, when minutely examined, that will 
not be found to differ, in certain aspects, from its fellows. 
Such is the wonderful and infinite diversity with which the 
Creator has adorned the vegetable kingdom. 

His wisdom is also evidently displayed in this vast profusion 
of vegetable nature — in adapting eacn plant to the soil and sit- 
uation in which it is destined to flourish — in furnishing it with 
those vessels by which it absorbs the air and moisture on which 
it feeds — and in adapting it to the nature and necessities of 
animated beings. As the earth teems with animated exist- 
ence, and as the different tribes of animals depend chiefly on 



80 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the productions of the vegetable kingdom for their subsist- 
ence, so there is an abundance and a variety of plants adapted 
to the peculiar constitutions of every individual species. This 
circumstance demonstrates, that there is a pre-contrived rela- 
tion and fitness between the internal constitution of the ani- 
mal, and the nature of the 'plants which afford it nourishment ; 
and shows us, that the animal and vegetable kingdoms are the 
workmanship of one and the same Almighty Being, and that, 
in his arrangements with regard to the one, he had in view the 
necessities of the other. 

When we direct our attention to the tribes of animated na- 
ture, we behold a scene no less variegated and astonishing. 
Above fifty thousand species of animals have been detected 
and described by Naturalists, besides several thousands of 
species which the naked eye cannot discern, and which people 
the invisible regions of the waters and the air. xind, as the 
greater part of the globe has never yet been thoroughly ex- 
plored, several hundreds, if not thousands, of species unknown 
to the scientific world, may exist in the depths of the ocean, 
and in the unexplored regions of the land. All these species 
differ from one another in color, size, and shape ; in the inter- 
nal structure of their bodies, in the number of their sensitive 
organs, limbs, feet, joints, claws, wings, and fins ; in their 
dispositions, faculties, movements, and modes of subsistence. 
They are of all sizes, from the mite and the gnat, up to the 
elephant and the whale, and from the mite downwards to those 
invisible animaculoe, a hundred thousand of which would 
not equal a grain of sand. Some fly through the atmos- 
phere, some glide through the waters, others traverse the solid 
land. Some walk on two, some on four, some on twenty, and 
some on a hundred feet. Some have eyes furnished with two, 
some with eight, some with a hundred, and some with eight 
thousand distinct transparent globes, for the purpose of vision.* 

* The eyes of beetles, silk- worms, flies, and several other kinds of 
insects, are among the most curious and wonderful productions of the God 
of Nature. On the head of a fly are two large protuberances, one on each 
side ; these constitute its organs of vision. The whole surface of these 
protuberances is covered with a multitude of small hemispheres placed with 
the utmost regularity in rows, crossing each other in a kind of lattice work. 
These little hemispheres have each of them a minute transparent convex 
lens in the middle, each of which has a distinct branch of the optic nerve 
ministering to it; so that the different lenses may be considered as so many 
distinct eyes. Mr. Leeuwenhoek counted 6236 in the two eyes of a silk 
worm, when in lis fly state ; 3180 in each eye of the beetle ; and 8000 in 
the two eyes of a common fly. Mr. Hook reckoned 14,000 in the eyes of a 
drone fly ; and, in one of the eyes of a dragonfly, there have been reckoned 
13,500 of these lenses, and, consequently, in both eyes, 27,000, every one 






VARIETY OF NATURE. 81 

Our astonishment at the variety which appears in the animal 
kingdom is still farther increased when we consider not only 
the diversities which are apparent in their external aspect, but 
also in their internal structure and organization. When we 
reflect on the thousands of movements, adjustments, adapta- 
tions, and compensations, which are requisite in order to the 
construction of an animal system, for enabling it to form its 
intended functions ; — when we consider, that every species of 
animals has a system of organization peculiar to itself, con- 
sisting of bones, joints, blood vessels, and muscular motions, 
differing in a variety of respects from those of any other spe- 
cies, and exactly adapted to its various necessities and modes 
of existence ; and when we consider, still farther, the incom- 
prehensibly delicate contrivances, and exquisite borings, pol- 
ishings, claspings, and adaptations, which enter into the or- 
ganization of an animated being ten thousand times less than 
a mite ; and that the different species of these animals are 
likewise all differently organized from one another, — we can- 
not but be struck with reverence and astonishment, at the Jw- 
telligence of that Incomprehensible Being who arranged the 
organs of all the tribes of animated nature, who " breathed 
into them the breath of life," and who continually upholds 
them in all their movements ! 

Could we descend into the subterraneous apartments of the 
globe, and penetrate into those unknown recesses which he 
towards its centre, we should, doubtless, behold a variegated 
scene of wonders, even in those dark and impenetrable re- 
gions. But all the labor and industry of man have not hith- 
erto enabled him to penetrate farther into the bowels of the 
earth than the six thousandth part of its diameter ; so that 
we must remain for ever ignorant of the immense caverns 
and masses of matter that may exist, and of the processes 
that may be going on about its central regions.. In those re 

of which is capable of forming a distinct image of any object, in the same 
manner as a common convex glass j so that there are 27,000 images formed 
on the retina of this little animal. Mr. Leeuwenhoek having prepared the 
eye of a fly for the purpose, placed it a little farther from his microscope 
than when he would examine an object, so as to leave a proper local dis- 
tance between it and the lens of his microscope ; and then looked through 
both, in the manner of a telescope, at the steeple of the church, which was 
299 feet high, and 750 feet distant, and could plainly see through every 
little lens, the whole steeple inverted, though not larger than the point of 
a fine needle : and then directing it to a neighbouring house, saw through 
many of these little hemispheres, not only the front of the house, but also 
the doors and windows, and could discern distinctly, whether the windows 
were open or shut. Such an exquisite piece of Divine mechanism tran- 
scends all human comprehension. 

7* 



82 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

gions, however, near the surface, which lie within the sphere 
of human inspection, we perceive a variety analogous to that 
which is displayed in the other departments of nature. Here 
we find substances of various kinds formed into strata, or lay- 
ers, of different depths — earths, sand, gravel, marl, clay, sand- 
stone, free- stone, marble, lime-stone, fossils, coals, peat, and 
similar materials. In these strata are found metals and mine- 
rals of various descriptions — salt, nitrate of potash, ammonia, 
sulphur, bitumen, platina, gold, silver, mercury, iron, lead, tin, 
copper, zinc r nickel, manganeze, cobalt, antimony, the dia- 
mond, rubies, sapphires, jaspers, emeralds, and a countless 
variety of other substances, of incalculable benefit to man- 
kind. Some of these substances are so essentially requisite 
for the comfort of man, that, without them, he would soon 
degenerate into the savage state, and be deprived of all those 
arts which extend his knowledge, and which cheer and embel- 
lish the abodes of civilized life. 

If we turn our eyes upward to the regions of the atmos- 
phere, we may also behold a spectacle of variegated magni- 
ficence. Sometimes the sky is covered with sable clouds, or 
obscured with mists ; at other times it is tinged with a variety 
of hues, by the rays of the rising or the setting sun. Some- 
times it presents a pure azure, at other times it is diversified 
with strata of dappled clouds. At one time we behold the 
rainbow rearing its majestic arch, adorned with all the colors 
of light; at another, the Aurora Borealis illuminating the sky 
with its fantastic corruscations. At one time we behold the 
fiery meteor sweeping through the air ; at another, we per 
ceive the forked lightning darting from the clouds, and hea 
the thunders rolling through the sky. Sometimes the vault o< 
heaven appears like a boundless desert, and at other time? 
adorned with an innumerable host of stars, and with the moor 
" walking in brightness." In short, whether we direct our 
view to the vegetable or the animal tribes, to the atmosphere, 
the ocean, the mountains, the plains, or the subterranean re- 
cesses of the globe, we behold a scene of beauty* order and 
variety, which astonishes and enraptures the contemplative 
mind, and constrains us to join in the devout exclamations of 
the Psalmist, " How manifold are thy works, O Lord ! In wis- 
dom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches ; 
so is the great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping, in- 
numerable, both small and great beasts." 

This countless variety of objects which appears throughout 
every department of our sublunary system, not only displays 
the depths of Divine wisdom, but also presents us with a faint 



VARIETY OF NATURE 83 

idea of the infinity of the Creator, and of the immense multipli- 
city of ideas and conceptions which must have existed in the 
Eternal Mind, when the fabric of our globe, and its numerous 
tribes of inhabitants were arranged and brought into existence. 
And, if every other world which floats in the immensity of 
space, be diversified with a similar variety of existence, alto- 
gether different from ours, (as we have reason to believe, from 
the variety we already perceive, and from the boundless plans 
and conceptions of the Creator,) the human mind is lost 
and confounded, when it attempts to form an idea of those 
endlessly diversified plans, conceptions, and views, which 
must have existed during an eternity past, in the Divine mind. 
When we would attempt to enter into the conception of so 
vast and varied operations, we feel our own littleness, and the 
narrow limits of our feeble powers, and can only exclaim, with 
the Apostle Paul, " O the depth of the riches both of the wis- 
dom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his coun- 
cils, and his ways of creation and providence past finding out " 

This characteristic of variety, which is stamped on all the 
works of Omnipotence, is, doubtless, intended to gratify the 
principle of curiosity, and the love of novelty, which are im- 
planted in the human breast ; and thus to excite rational be- 
ings to the study and investigation of the works of the Crea- 
tor ; that therein they may behold the glory of the Divine 
character, and be stimulated to the exercise of love, admira- 
tion, and reverence. For, as the records of revelation, and 
the dispensations of Providence, display to us the various as- 
pects of the moral character of Deity, so, the diversified phe- 
nomena, and the multiplicity of objects and operations which 
the scenery of nature exhibits, present to us a specimen of the 
ideas, as it were, of the Eternal Mind, in so far as they can be 
adumbrated by material objects, and exhibited to mortals, 
through the medium of corporeal organs. 

To convey an adequate conception of the number of these 
ideas, as exhibited on the globe in which we live, would baffle 
the arithmetician's skill, and set his numbers at defiance. — 
We may, however, assist our conceptions a little, by confining 
our attention to one department of nature ; for example, the 
Animal Kingdom. The number of the different species of 
animals, taking into account those which are hitherto undis- 
covered, and those which are invisible to the naked eye, can- 
not be estimated at less than 300,000. In a human body 
there are reckoned about 446 muscles, in each of which, ac- 
cording to anatomists, there are at least 10 several intentions, 
or due qualifications to be observed— its proper figure, its just 



84 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

magnitude, the right disposition of its several ends, upper and 
lower, the position of the whole, the insertion of its proper 
nerves, veins, arteries, &c. so that in the muscular system 
alone, there are 4,460 several ends or aims to be attended to. 
The bones are reckoned to be in number about 245, and the 
distinct scopes or intentions of each of these are above 40 ; in 
all, about 9,800 ; so that the system of bones and muscles 
alone, without taking any other parts into consideration, 
amounts to above 14,000 different intentions or adaptations. 
If now, we suppose, that all the species of animals above sta- 
ted, are differently constructed, and, taken one with another, 
contain at an average, a system of bones and muscles as nu- 
merous as in the human body — the number of species must 
be multiplied by the number of different aims or adaptations, 
and the product will amount to 4,200,000,000. If we were 
next to attend to the many thousands of blood vessels in an 
animal body, and the numerous ligaments, membranes, hu- 
mors, and fluids of various descriptions — the skin, with its 
millions of pores, and every other part of an organical system, 
with the aims and intentions of each, we should have another 
sum of many hundreds of millions to be multiplied by the for- 
mer product, in order to express the diversified ideas which 
enter into the construction of the animal world. And, if we 
still farther consider, that of the hundreds of millions of indi- 
viduals belonging to each species, no two individuals exactly 
resemble each other — that all the myriads of vegetables with 
which the earth is covered, are distinguished from each other, 
by some one characteristic or another, and that every grain of 
sand contained in the mountains, and in the bed of the ocean, 
as shown by the microscope, discovers a different form and 
configuration from another — we are here presented with an 
image of the infinity of the conceptions of Him in whose in- 
comprehensible mind they all existed, during countless ages, 
before the universe was formed. 

To overlook this amazing scene of Divine Intelligence, or 
to consider it as beneath our notice, as some have done — if it 
be not the characteristic of impiety, is at least, the mark of a 
weak and undiscriminating mind. The man who disregards 
the visible displays of Infinite wisdom, or who neglects to in- 
vestigate them, when opportunity offers, acts as if he consider- 
ed himself already possessed of a sufficient portion of intelli- 
gence, and stood in no need of sensible assistances to direct 
his conceptions of the Creator. Pride, and false conceptions 
of the nature and design of true religion, frequently lie at the 
foundation of all that indifference and neglect with which the 



VARIETY OF NATURE. 85 

visible works of God are treated by those who make preten- 
sions to a high degree of spiritual attainments. The truly 
pious man will trace, with wonder and delight, the footsteps 
of his Father and his God, wherever they appear in the varie- 
gated scene of creation around him, and w r ill be filled with 
sorrow, and contrition of heart, that, amidst his excursions 
and solitary walks, he has so often disregarded " the works of 
the Lord, and the operation of his hands." 

In fine, the variety which appears on the face of nature, not 
only enlarges our conceptions of Infinite Wisdom, but is also 
the foundation of all our discriminations and judgments as 
rational beings, and is of the most essential utility in the 
affairs of human society. Such is the variety of which the 
features of the human countenance are susceptible, that it is 
probable that no two individuals, of all the millions of the race 
of Adam, that have existed since the beginning of time, would 
be found to resemble each other. We know no two human 
beings presently existing, however similar to each other, but 
may be distinguished either by their stature, their forms, or 
the features of their faces ; and on the ground of this dissimi- 
larity, the various wheels of the machine of society move on- 
ward, without clashing or confusion. Had it been otherwise 
— had the faces of men, and their organs of speech been cast 
exactly in the same mould, as would have been the case, had 
the world been framed according to the Epicurean system, by 
blind chance directing a concourse of atoms, it might have 
been as difficult to distinguish one human countenance from 
another, as to distinguish the eggs laid by the same hen, or 
the drops of water which trickle from the same orifice ; and, 
consequently, society would have been thrown into a state ot 
universal anarchy and confusion. Friends would not have 
been distinguished from enemies, villains from the good and 
honest, fathers from sons, the culprit from the innocent per- 
son, nor the branches of the same family from one another. 
And what a scene of perpetual confusion and disturbance 
would thus have been created ! Frauds, thefts, robberies, 
murders, assassinations, forgeries, and injustice of all kinds, 
might have been daily committed without the least possibility 
of detection. — Nay, were even the variety of tones in the 
human voice, peculiar to each person, to cease, and the hand- 
writing of all men to become perfectly uniform, a multitude 
of distressing deceptions and perplexities would be produced 
in the domestic, civil, and commercial transactions of man- 
kind. But the All-wise and Beneficent Creator has prevented 
all such evils and inconveniences, by the character of variety 



86 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

which he has impressed on the human species ; and on all his 
works. By the peculiar features of his countenance every 
man may be distinguished in the light ; by the tones of his 
voice he may be recognized in the dark, or when he is sepa- 
rated from his fellows by an impenetrable partition ; and his 
hand-writing can attest his existence and individuality, when 
continents and oceans interpose between him and his rela- 
tions, and be a witness of his sentiments and purposes to 
future generations. 



Thus, I have taken a very cursory view of some evidences 
of Divine Wisdom, which appear in the general constitution 
of the earth, the waters, and the atmosphere, and in the char- 
acteristic of variety, which is impressed on all the objects of 
the visible creation. When these and other admirable arrange- 
ments, in our sublunary system, are seriously contemplated, 
every rational and pious mind will be disposed to exclaim 
with the Psalmist — " There is none like unto thee, O Lord, 
neither are there any works like unto thy works." — " Thou 
art great, and dost wondrous things, thou art God alone." — 
" O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for 
his wonderful works towards the children of men !" 

When we consider not only the utility, but the beauty and 
grandeur of the wise arrangements of nature, what reason 
have we to admire and adore the goodness of the great Author 
of our existence ! Were all the diversities of shape and 
color, of mountains and vales, of rivers and lakes, of light and 
shade, which now embellish the various landscapes of the 
world, to disappear, and were one unvaried scene perpetually 
to present itself to the eye, how dull and wearisome, and un- 
interesting would the aspect of the universe appear to an 
intelligent mind ! Although the variegated beauties which 
adorn the surface of our globe, and the vault of heaven, are 
not essential to our existence, as sensitive beings, yet, were 
they completely withdrawn, and nothing presented to the eye, 
but a boundless expanse of barren sands, the mind would re- 
coil upon itself, its activity would be destroyed, its powers 
would be confined, as it were, to a prison, and it would roam 
in vain amidst the surrounding waste, in search of enjoyment. 
Even the luxuries of a palace, were it possible to procure 
them amidst such a scene of desolation, would become stale 
and insipid, and would leave the rational soul, almost desti- 
tute of ideas and of mental energy, to the tiresome round of a 



PRIMEVAL STATE OF NATURE. 87 

cheerless existence. But in the actual state of the world we 
live in, there is no landscape in nature, from the Icebergs of 
Greenland to the verdant scenes of the Torrid Zone, in which 
objects, either of sublimity or of beauty, in boundless variety, 
are not presented to the view ; in order to stimulate the mind 
to activity, to gratify its desire of novelty, and to elevate its 
conceptions of the Beneficent Creator. 

And, if the present constitution of our world displays so 
evident marks of beauty and benevolent design, now that it is 
inhabited by an assemblage of depraved intelligences, and 
its physical aspect deformed, in consequence of " the wicked- 
ness of man" — what transporting beauties and sublimities 
must it have presented, when it appeared fresh from the hand 
of its Almighty Maker, and when all things were pronounced 
by him to be very good ? After a deluge of waters has swept 
many of its primeval beauties, and has broken and deranged 
even its subterraneous strata, this terrestrial world still pre- 
sents to the eye a striking scene of beauty, order, and benefi- 
cence. But we have the strongest reason to believe, that, 
before sin had disfigured the aspect of this lower world, all 
was " beauty to the eye, and music to the ear" — that " im- 
mortality breathed in the winds, flowed in the rivers," and ex- 
haled from every plant and flower. No storms disturbed the 
tranquillity of nature, nor created the least alarm in the breasts 
of its holy inhabitants. No earthquakes shook the ground, 
nor rent the foundations of nature. No volcanoes vomited 
their rivers of lava, nor overwhelmed the plains with deluges 
of fire. — No barren deserts of heath and sand disfigured the 
rich landscape of the world — no tempests nor hurricanes 
tossed the ocean, nor scorching heats, nor piercing colds, nor 
pestilence, nor disease, annoyed the human frame. — In the 
paradisaical state of the world, we may reasonably suppose, 
that all the elements of nature contributed directly to the 
pleasure and enjoyment of man, and of the other tribes of ani- 
mated nature ; and that they were not subjected, as they now 
are, to the operation of those natural agents which so frequent- 
ly spread destruction and ruin among the abodes of men. To 
suppose the contrary to have happened, would be inconsist- 
ent with the state of pure and happy intelligences, and with 
the benignity of the Creator ; and would imply, that God was 
either unwilling, or unable to remove such physical evils. 
But we cannot suppose it beyond the limits of Infinite Wis- 
dom and Omnipotence, to create and arrange a world entirely 
free from those evils and inconveniences which now flow from 
the operation of certain physical agents ; without, at the same 



88 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

time, supposing that his power and intelligence are confined 
within certain bounds, beyond which they cannot pass. And, 
therefore, if, in the existing constitution of things, the harmony 
of nature is occasionally disturbed, and its beauty defaced, by 
earthquakes, storms, and tempests — we must remember, that 
the inhabitants of the earth are now a depraved race of mor- 
tals, no longer adorned with primeval purity and innocence ; 
and that the physical economy of our globe has undergone a 
certain derangement, corresponding to the moral state of its 
present occupants. — But since this earth, even in its present 
state of degradation and derangement, presents to the view of 
every beholder so many objects of beauty and magnificence, 
and so numerous traces of Divine Beneficence — we may 
reasonably conclude, that scenes of Divine Wisdom and 
Goodness, far more glorious and transporting, must be dis- 
played in those worlds where moral evil has never shed its 
malign influence, and where the inhabitants — superior to dis- 
ease and death — bask for ever in the regions of immortality. 
And, therefore, however admirable the displays of Divine Wis- 
dom may appear in the sublunary scene around us, they must 
be considered as inferior to those which are exhibited in many 
other provinces of Jehovah's empire, in so far as they are 
blended with those physical derangements which indicate his 
displeasure against the sins of men. 

Were we now to direct our attention to the mechanism of 
animated beings, and to consider the numberless contrivances 
and adaptations in their organical structure and functions, a 
thousand instances of exquisite wisdom and design, still more 
striking and admirable, would crowd upon our view. For, 
although the general fabric of the world, and the immense 
variety of objects it contains, are evident proofs of a Wise and 
Intelligent Contriver, yet it is chiefly in the minute and delicate 
contrivances of organical structures, their adaptation to the 
purposes of life, motion, and enjoyment, and their relation and 
correspondence to the surrounding elements, that the consum- 
mate skill of the Great Architect of nature is most strikingly 
perceived. But as it forms no part of my present plan to en- 
ter on so extensive a field of illustration, on which volumes 
might be written, I shall content myself with merely stating 
an example or two. My first example shall be taken from 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN EYE. 

The eye is one of the nicest pieces of mechanism which the 
human understanding can contemplate ; but as it requires a 



STRUCTURE OF THE EYE. 89 

knowledge of its anatomical structure, and of the principles 
of optics, to enable us to appreciate its admirable functions, 
I shall confine myself to a few general descriptions and re- 
marks. 

The eye is nearly of a globular form. It consists chiefly of 
three coats, and three humours. The first or outer coat, is 
termed Sclerotica ; it is every where white and opaque, and is 
joined at its anterior edge to another which has more convexity 
than any other part of the globe of the eye, and, being exceed- 
ingly transparent, is called the Cornea. These two parts are 
perfectly different in their structure, and are supposed, by some 
anatomists, to be as distinct from each other as the glass of 
a watch is from the case into which it is fixed. — Next within 
this coat is that called the Choroides, on account of its being 
furnished with a great number of vessels. It serves, as it were, 
for a lining to the other, and is joined with that part of the eye 
termed iris. The iris is an opaque membrane like the cho- 
roides, but of different colors in different eyes, as grey, black, 
or hazel. It is composed of two sets of muscular fibres, the 
one of a circular form, which contracts the hole in the middle, 
called the pupil, when the light is too strong for the eye ; and 
the other of radial fibres, tends every where from the circum- 
iference of the iris towards the middle of the pupil; which 
fibres, by their contractions, dilate and enlarge the pupil, when 
'the light is weak, in order to let in more of its rays. — The 
third coat is called the retina upon which are painted the ima- 
sges of all visible objects, by the rays of light which flow from 
them. It spreads like net- work all over the inside of the cho- 
roides, and is nothing more than a fine expansion of the optic 
nerve ; by which nerve the impressions of visible objects are 
conveyed to the brain. 

The inside of the globe of the eye, within these tunics or 
coats, is filled with three humors, called the aqueous, the crys- 
talline, and the vitreous. The aqueous humour lies at the fore- 
part of the eye, and occupies all the sppxe between the crys- 
talline and the prominent cornea. It has the same specific 
gravity and refractive power as water, and seems chiefly 
of use to prevent the crystalline from being easily bruised by 
rubbing, or by a blow — and perhaps it serves for the crystal- 
line humour to move forward in, while we view near objects ; 
and backward, for remoter objects ; without which, or some 
other, mechanism, effecting the same purpose we could 
not, according to the laws of optics, perceive objects dis- 
tinctly, when placed at different distances. — Behind the aque- 
ous lies the crystalline humour, which is shaped like a double 

S 



90 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

convex glass, and is a little more convex on the back, than 
on the fore-part. This humour is transparent like crystal, 
is nearly of the consistence of hard jelly, and converges the 
rays which pass through it, from visible objects, to its focus 
at the bottom, or back part of the eye. — The vitreous humour 
lies behind the crystalline, and fills up the greatest part of the 
orb of the eye, giving it a globular shape. It is nearly of the 
consistence of the white of an egg, and very transparent ; its 
fore-part is concave, for the crystalline humour to lodge in, and 
its back part being convex, the retina is spread over it. It 
serves as a medium to keep the crystalline humour and the 
retina at due distance. From what has now been stated, 
it is obvious, that the images of external objects are depicted 
in the retina, in an inverted position, in the same manner 
as the images formed by a common convex lens ; but how 
the mind, in this case, perceives objects erect, is a question, 
about which the learned have divided in their opinions.* 

The ball of the eye, as now described, is situated in a bony 
cavity, called its orbit, composed by the junction of seven dif- 
ferent bones, hollowed out at their edges. This cavity is in 
all the vacant spaces filled with a loose fat, which serves as a 
proper medium for the eye to rest in, and as a socket in which 
it may move. It is sheltered by the eye-brows, which are 
provided with hair, to prevent the descending sweat of the 
forehead from running down into it. As- a still farther protec- 
tion to this delicate organ, it is furnished with the eye-lid, 
which like a curtain, is drawn .over it with inconceivable swift- 
ness, for its security, on the approach of danger. It also 
serves to wipe it from superfluous moisture, and to cover it 
during sleep. In the upper part of its orbit, it is furnished 
with a gland, to supply it with water sufficient to wash off dust, 
and to keep its outer surface moist, without which the cornea 
would be less transparent, and the rays of light would be dis 
turbed in their passage ; and the superfluous water is convev 
ed to the nose through a perforation in the bone. 

For the purpose of enabling the eye to move in its socket, 
six muscles are provided. These are admirably contrived to 
move it in every direction, upwards or downwards, to the right, 
or to the left, or in whatever direction the occasion may re- 
quire ; and thus we are spared the trouble of turning our heads 
continually towards the objects we wish to inspect. If we 

* An idea of the relative positions of the coats and humours described 
above, may be obtained by a simple inspection of the Plate, Fig. 6. — Fig. 
5, represents a front view of the human eye, as it appears in its natural 
state, and exhibits the relative positions of the Cornea, Iris, and PupiL 



STRUCTURE OF THE EYE. &! 

want to look upward, one of these muscles lifts up the orb of 
the eye ; if we would cast our eyes to the ground, another 
muscle pulls them down. A third muscle moves the globe 
outwards towards the temples, and a fourth draws it towards 
the nose. A fifth, which slides within a cartilaginous ring, 
like a cord over a pulley, and is fastened to the globe of the 
eye in two points, makes it roll about at pleasure. A sixth lies 
under the eye, and is designed to temper and restrain, within 
proper bounds, the action of the rest, to keep it steadily fixed 
I on the object it beholds, and to prevent those frightful contor- 
tions which otherwise might take place. By these, and a 
r multitude of other mechanical contrivances, all acting in har- 
monious combination, the eye, as a natural telescope and mi- 
u croscope, is made to advance, to recede, to move to the right, 
' and to the left, and in every other direction ; and to view near 
and distant objects with equal distinctness ; so that a single 
eye, by the variety of positions it may assume, performs the 
office of a thousand.* 
| The utility of these several movements, and the pain and 
f, inconvenience which would be suffered, were any of them 
I wanting, can scarcely be conceived, by any one whose eyes 
have always remained in a sound state. We are so much ac- 
1 customed to the regular exercise of our visual organs, that we 
seldom reflect on the numerous delicate springs which must be 
set in action, before the functions of vision can, with ease, be 
performed. But were any one of the muscular organs, now 
j described, to fail in its functions, we should soon experience 
so many inconveniences, as would throw a gloom on all the 
j other comforts of life ; and convince us, how much we are in- 
, debted, every moment, to the provident care and goodness of 
] sur Beneficent Creator, for thousands of enjoyments which 
we seldom think of, and for which we are never sufficiently 
grateful. — " With much compassion, as well as astonishment, 
j at the goodness of our loving Creator," says Dr. Nieuwentyt, 
, " have I considered the sad state of a certain gentleman, who, 
, as to the rest, was in pretty good health, but only wanted the 
use of those two little muscles that serve to lift up the eyelid, 
and so had almost lost the use of his sight — being forced, as 
long as this defect lasted, to shove up his eyelids every mo- 
ment, with his own hands. "f 

How admirable, then, is the formation of the eye, and how 

* Flies and other insects, whose eyes are immoveable, have several thou- 
sands of distinct globes in each eye. See note page 80. 
+ Nieuwentyt's Religious Philosopher, vol. 1. p. 232. 



92 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

grateful ought we to feel at the consideration, that we are per- 
mitted to enjoy all the transporting pleasures of vision, without 
the least perplexity or effort on our part ! If the loss of action 
in a single muscle produces so many distressing sensa- 
tions and efforts, what would be the consequence if all the 
muscles of the eye were wanting or deranged? And, is it man 
that governs these nice and intricate movements ? Or is it the 
eye itself, as a self-directing machine, that thus turns around, 
seasonably and significantly, towards every visible object ? 
Man knows neither the organs of vision, nor the functions 
they ought to perform. The eye is only an unconscious ma- 
chine, in the hands of a Superior Intelligence, as a watch, or 
a steam engine, is in the hands of a mechanic. It is God 
alone who constantly performs its movements, according to 
certain laws, wilich he has submitted to our inclinations and 
desires ; "for in him we live and move." — We are desirous to 
see certain objects around us : this is all the share we have 
in the operations of our eyes ; and without perplexing our 
understanding, without the least care or management, in re- 
gard to any of the functions, we can, in a few moments, take 
a survey of the beauties and sublimities of an extensive land- 
scape, and of the glories of the vault of heaven. Thus, the 
Divine Being operates not only in this, but in a thousand dif- 
ferent ways, in the various senses and contrivances which be- 
long to our animal system ; and jet, thoughtless and ungrate- 
ful man often inquires, in the language of doubt and hesitation, 
" Where is God my Maker ?" — He is in us, and around us, 
directing every movement in our animal frame to act in har- 
mony with the surrounding elements, and to minister to our 
enjoyments ; and it is only w 7 hen his exquisite operations are 
deranged by external violence, that we feel inconvenience 01 
pain. 

Such are only a few general outlines of the structure of the 
eye : for no notice has been taken of the numerous minute 
veins, arteries, nerves, lymphatics, glands, and many other 
particulars which are connected w T ith this organ. But, all this 
delicate and complicated apparatus, in the structure of the eye, 
would have been of no use whatever for the purpose of vision, 
had not a distinct substance been created to act upon it, 
exactly adapted to its nature and functions. In order that the 
eye might serve as the medium of our perceptions of visible 
objects, light w r as formed, and made to travel from its source 
at the rate of 195,000 miles in a second of time. This prodi- 
gious velocity of light is, doubtless, essential to the nature of 
vision ; since it actually exists, and since w r e find that it radi- 



STRUCTURE OF THE EYE. 93 

ates with the same swiftness from the most distant visible 
star, as from the sun which enlightens our system. To abate 
the force of this amazing velocity, its particles have been 
formed almost infinitely small — a circumstance which alone 
prevents this delightful visitant from becoming the most tre- 
mendous and destructive element in nature. Dr. Nieuwentyt 
has computed, that, in one second of time, there flows 418,- 
660,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000* 
particles of light out of a burning candle, which number con- 
tains at least 6,337,242,000,000 times the number of grains of 
sand in the whole earth, supposing every cubic inch of the 
earth to contain a million of grains. It has been justly re- 
marked, by Mr. Ferguson and other authors, that " if the 
particles of light were so large, that a million of them, were 
equal in bulk to an ordinary grain of sand, we durst no more 
open our eyes to the light, than suffer sand to be shot point 
blank against them, from the mouth of a cannon." It may 
also be remarked, that the property which all bodies possess, 
of reflecting light, is essential to the purpose of vision, without 
which, the splendid and variegated scene of nature would be 
changed into a dreadful gloom ; and were the rays of light of 
one uniform color, and not compounded of various hues, one 
object could not be distinguished from another, and the beauti- 
ful aspect of our globe would instantly disappear. 

Thus we see, that the eye is adapted to light, and light to the 
eye ; and in this admirable adaptation the wisdom of the 
Creator is strikingly displayed. For light has no effect upon 
the ear, or upon any other organ of sensation ; so as to pro- 
duce a perception of visible objects ; as, on the other hand, the 
undulations of the air have no effect upon the eye, so as to pro- 
duce the sensation of sound. The eye did not produce the 
light, nor did the light form the eye ; they are perfectly distinct 
from each other, yet so nicely adapted in every particular 
that had any one quality or circumstance been wanting in 
either, the functions of vision could not have been performed 
in the manner in which they now operate ; which strikingly 
demonstrates, that one and the same Intelligent Being, pos- 
sessed of a wisdom beyond our comprehension, formed the 
curious structure of the eye, and endued the rays of light with 
those properties of color, motion, and minuteness, which are 
calculated, through the medium of this organ, to produce, in 
sentient beings, the ideas of visible objects, And, surely, he 
never intended that such exquisite skill and contrivance should 

* See Appendix, No. V. 
8* 



94 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



be altogether overlooked by rational beings, for whose pleasure 
and enjoyment all this benevolent care is exercised. 

MANNER IN WHICH VISION IS PERFORMED. 

Let us now attend a little to the manner in which vision is 
performed, by the medium of light acting on the organs of 
sight. If we take a common convex glass — a reading glass for 
example — and hold it at some distance from a candle or a 
window sash, placing a piece of white paper behind the glass, 
at the distance of its focus, the image of the candle or sash will 
be painted on the paper, in an inverted position. This expe- 
riment may be performed, with a better effect, by darkening a 
room, and placing the convex glass in a hole cut out of the 
window shutter, when the rays of light flowing from the objects 
without, and passing through the glass, will form a picture of 
the objects opposite the window, on the white paper, adorned 
with the most beautiful colors. In a manner similar to this, 
are the images of external objects depicted on the back part of 
the inner coat or membrane of the eye. The rays of light, 
proceeding in all directions, from surrounding objects, and 
falling on the eye, are transmitted through the pupil ; and be- 
ing refracted by the different humours, (particularly by the 
crystalline humour, which acts the part of a convex lens,) they 
converge to a focus on the retina, where the images of visible 
objects are painted in an inverted position ; and, by means of 
the optic nerve, these images are conveyed to the mind. 

The following figure will perhaps more distinctly illustrate 




this point. Let a, 6, c, x, y f represent the globe of the eye, 
and A, B, C, an object at a certain distance from it. Now, it 
is well known that every point of a visible object sends out rays 
of light in all directions ; and, therefore, a certain portion of 
the rays which flow from the object ABC, will fall upon the 
cornea, between x and t/, and, passing through the aqueous 
humour, m, w, and the crystalline humour, o, p, and the vitreous 
humour, D E, will be converged to a focus on the retina* and 



WONDERS OF VISION. 95 

paint a distinct picture, a b c, of the object A B C, in an inver- 
ted position. The rays from the point A of the object, after 
being refracted by the different humours, will be brought to a 
point at a ; those from B, will be converged at b ; and those 
from C, at c ; and, of course, the intermediate rays between 
A B, and B C, will be formed between a 6, and b c, and the 
object will become visible by means of its image or represen- 
tation being painted on the retina, in all the colors and propor- 
tions which belong to it. If we take a bullock's eye, and cut 
off the three coats from the back part, and put a piece of thin 
white paper over that part, and hold the eye towards the win- 
dow, or any bright object, we shall see the image of the object 
depicted upon the paper, and in an inverted position, as stated 
above. 

In order that we may more distinctly perceive the wonders 
of vision, and the numerous circumstances on which it de- 
pends, let us suppose ourselves placed on an eminence, which 
commands a view of a variegated and extensive landscape. 
Let us suppose ourselves stationed on Arthurs seat, or on the 
top of Salisbury Crags, in the vicinity of Edinburgh. Turning 
our face to the north-west, the city, with its castles, spires, and 
stately edifices, presents itself to our view. Beyond it, on the 
north and west, a beautiful country, adorned with villas, plan- 
tations, and fertile fields, stretches as far as the eye can reach, 
till the view is bounded by the castle of Sterling, at the distance 
of more than thirty miles. On the right hand, we behold the 
port of Leith, the shipping in the roads, the coast of Fife, the 
isles of Inchkeith and of May, and the Frith of Forth, gradu- 
ally losing itself in the German ocean. If we suppose the 
length of this landscape to be forty miles, and its breadth 
twenty-five, it will, of course, comprehend an area of a thou- 
sand square miles. 

The first circumstance which strikes the mind, is the immense 
multitude of rays of reflected light which flow, in all directions, 
from the myriads of objects which compose the surrounding 
scene. In order to form a rude idea of this infinity of radia- 
tions, I fix my attention on a single object. I direct my eye 
to Nelson's monument, on the Calton hill. From the parapet 
at the top, a thousand different points send forth a thousand 
different cones of rays, which, entering my eye, render the dif- 
ferent parts of it distinctly visible, besides myriads of rays from 
the same points, which flow in every other direction through 
the open spaces of the atmosphere which surround them. 
-How many thousands of millions, then, of different radiations, 
must be issuing forth every moment from the whole mass of 



96 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the monument ! And if one object pours forth such a flood 
of rays, how immense must be the number of radiations 
which are issuing from all the objects which compose this 
extensive landscape ! Myriads of rays, from myriads of ob- 
jects, must be crossing each other in an infinity of directions, 
so that the mind is confounded at the apparent confusion which 
seems to exist in this immensity of radiations ; yet every ray 
passes forward in the crowd, in the most perfect order, and 
without being blended or confused with any other ray, produces 
its specific effect on every eye that is open to receive it. But 
this is not all : these millions of rays which flow from the 
minutest points of the surrounding scene, before they can pro- 
duce the sensation of vision, and form a picture of the land- 
scape on the retina, must be compressed into a space little 
more than one-eighth of an inch in diameter, before they can 
enter the pupil of the eye ; yet they all pass through this small 
aperture without the least confusion, and paint the images of 
their respective objects in exactly the same order in which 
these objects are arranged. Another circumstance demands 
attention. The rays which proceed from the objects before 
me, are not all directed to the spot where I stand, but are dif- 
fused throughout every point of the surrounding space, ready 
to produce the same effect, wherever sentient beings are pre- 
sent to receive them. Were the whole inhabitants of Edin- 
burgh placed on the sloping t declivity of Arthur's seat, and 
along the top of Salisbury Crags, and were millions of other 
spectators suspended in the surrounding atmosphere, similar 
sensations would be produced, and a scene similar to that 
which I now behold, would be depicted in every eye. Amidst 
the infinity of cones of light, crossing each other in an infinity 
of directions, no confusion would ensue, but every spectator, 
whose eyes were in a sound state, would obtain a coriect view 
of the scene before him ; and hence it happens, that, when- 
ever I shift my position to the right hand or to the left, other 
streams of light enter my eye, and produce the same effect. 

Let me now attend to another circumstance, no less admi- 
rable than the preceding, and that is, the distinct impression 
which I have of the shape, color, and motion, of the multipli- 
city of objects I am now contemplating, and the small space 
within which their images are depicted at the bottom of my 
eye. Could a painter, after a long series of ingenious efforts, 
delineate the extensive landscape now before me, on a piece 
of paper not exceeding the size of a silver sixpence, so that 
every object might be as distinctly seen, in its proper shape 
and color, as it now appears when I survey the scene around 



WONDERS OF VISION. 97 

me, he would be incomparably superior to all tbe masters of 
his art that ever went before him. This effect, which far 
transcends the utmost efforts of human genius, is accom- 
plished in a moment, in millions of instances, by the hand of 
nature, or, in other words, by " the finger of God." All the 
objects I am now 7 surveying, comprehending an extent of a 
thousand square miles, are accurately delineated in the bottom 
of my eye, on a space less than half dn inch in diameter. How 
delicate, then, must be the strokes of that Divine pencil, which 
has formed such a picture ! I turn my eyes to the castle of 
Edinburgh, which appears one of the most conspicuous ob- 
jects in my field of view. Supposing that portion of it which 
strikes my eve to be 500 feet long, and 90 in height, I find, by 
calculation, that it occupies only the six hundred thousandth 
part of the whole landscape, and, consequently, fills in my eye 
no more than the twelve hundred thousandth part of an inch. 
I next direct my eye towards the Frith of Forth, and perceive 
a steamboat sailing between Queensferry and Newhaven, I 
distinctly trace its motion for the space of 40 minutes, at the 
end of which it reaches the chain pier at Xewhaven, having 
passed over a space of five miles in length, which is but the 
eighth part of the lineal extent of the landscape in that direc- 
tion ; and, consequently, occupies, in the picture formed on 
my retina, a lineal space of only one-sixteenth of an inch in 
extent. And, if the boat be reckoned about 88 feet in length, 
its image is only the three hundredth part of this extent ; and 
of course, fills a space in the eye of only the four thousand 
eight hundredth part of a lineal inch. Yet, my perception of 
the motion of the vessel could be produced only by a corres- 
ponding motion of its image in my eye ; that is, by the gra- 
dual motion of a point one 4,800th of an inch in diameter, 
over a space one sixteenth of an inch in length. How incon- 
ceivably fine and accurate, then, must be the impression of 
those strokes which the rays of light, from visible objects, pro- 
duce on the retina of the eye ! The mind is lost in wonder 
when it attempts to trace so exquisite and admirable an effect. 
I take a reflecting telescope, and, through it, view some of 
the distant parts of the landscape. My wonder is still in- 
creased, when I consider the new directions into which the 
rays of light are bent — the crossings and recrossings, the re- 
fractions, and reflections, that take place between the mirrors 
and the lenses of the instrument, and the successive images 
that are formed — so that, instead of a scene of confusion, 
which, previous to experience, might have been expected from 
che numerous additional bendings and intersections of the ravs 



98 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

—I now perceive hundreds of objects, with the most perfect 
distinctness, which were before invisible. Rays of light from 
distant and minute objects, which a moment before made no 
sensible impression on my eye, being collected and variously 
modified by the telescope, now paint a vivid representation of 
their objects, in their true figures, colors, and positions. 

From a consideration of the innumerable modifications of 
the rays of light, and of the immense variety of effects they 
produce in every region of the earth — I am led to investigate 
what proportion of the solar light falls upon our globe, in order 
to produce so diversified a scene of sublimity and beauty. 
Supposing the sun's rays to be chiefly confined, in their effects, 
within the limits of the planetary system, since they diverge in 
every direction, they must fill a cubical space 3,600,000,000 
miles in diameter ; which, consequently, will contain about 
24,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of cubical miles, so 
that an eye, placed in any point of this vast space, would re- 
ceive a distinct impression from the solar rays. The solidity 
of the earth is about 264,000,000,000 cubical miles, and, 
therefore, it receives only the 9o,ooo,ooo,uoo,ojo,ooo th parts of the light 
which fills the sphere of the solar system. So that the light 
which cheers all the inhabitants of the world, and unveils such 
a variety of beautiful and magnificent objects, is nothing more 
than a single stream of celestial radiance out of ninety thou- 
sand billions of similar streams, which the great source of 
light is every moment diffusing throughout the surrounding 
worlds. But the solar rays are not confined within the bounds 
of the planetary system ; their influence extends, in every di- 
rection, as far as the nearest stars, filling a cubical space at 
least 40,000,000,000,000 miles in diameter, and which con- 
tains 33,500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,- 
000, or thirty-three thousand, five hundred sextillions of cubi- 
cal miles. And, were we to institute comparisons and calcu- 
lations, with respect to the possible variety of effects they 
might produce throughout this immense region, whole pages 
might be filled with figures, cyphers, and computations. We 
might compute how many globes similar to the earth, or any of 
the larger planets, might be contained within this vast space, 
allowing several hundreds of cubical miles of empty space 
around each globe — how many myriads of refractions and re- 
flections the rays of light would suffer, in regard to the pecu- 
liar objects connected with every one of these globes — how 
many eyes of sentient beings might be affected by the diver- 
sities of color, shape, and motion which would thus be pro- 
duced — and what a variety of shades of light and color, and 



WONDERS OF VISION. 99 

what a diversity of scenery would be produced, according to 
the distances of the respective globes from the central lumi- 
nary. After what we have just now stated, however, we may 
rest satisfied, with joining in the pious exclamation of one who 
had just finished a devout survey of the structure of the hu- 
man frame : " Marvellous are thy works, and that my soul 
knoweth right well. How precious are thy thoughts unto me, 

God !" (or, as the words might be rendered,) " How pre- 
cious are thy wonderful contrivances concerning me, God ! 
how great is the sum of them ! If I should count them, tney 
are more in number than the sand." In what direction soever 

1 turn mine eyes ; whatever portion of thy works I investi- 
gate, " J am still with thee"* Thine infinity and unsearch- 
able wisdom are impressed on every object, so that I feel my- 
self every moment encompassed by thine immensity, and am 
irresistibly led to wonder and adore. 

I shall now conclude these reflections on vision, with two or 
three additional remarks. It is worthy of notice, in the first 
place, that the eye has the power of adapting itself to objects 
placed at different distances. By means of some delicate 
pieces of mechanism, not hitherto satisfactorily explained, it 
can perceive, with distinctness, a large object, at the distance 
of six miles, and the next moment it can adjust itself to the 
distinct perception of an object at the distance of six inches ; 
so that it acts the part both of a telescope and a microscope, 
and can be instantaneously adjusted to perform either as the 
one instrument, or as the other. This necessarily supposes a 
corresponding alteration in the state of the organ, every time 
we lift our eye from a near, to look at a distant object. Either 
the cornea is somewhat flattened, or the crystalline humour is 
pushed backwards, or both these changes, in combination with 
others, may concur in causing the rays from distant objects to 
unite exactly on the retina, without which, distinct vision can- 
not be produced. This contrivance, in whatever kind of me- 
chanism it may consist, is one which art would vainly attempt 
to imitate. We can see objects that are near us, with a mi- 
croscope, and those that are distant, with a telescope ; but we 
would in vain attempt to see distant objects with the former, 
or those that are only a few inches from us, with the latter, 
without a variety of changes being made in the apertures and 
positions of the glasses belonging to the respective instru- 
ments. In this respect, therefore, as well as in every other, 
the eye is an optical instrument, incomparably superior to any 

* Psalm cxxxix. 14, 17, 18. 



100 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

instrument or imitation that art can produce ; and, were it not 
for the peculiar property now described, it would be almost 
unfit for the purpose of vision, notwithstanding all the other 
delicate contrivances which enter into its construction. If it 
were adjusted only for the distinct perception of distant ob- 
jects, every object within the limits of an ordinary apartment 
would appear a mass of confusion ; and were it adjusted solely 
for viewing objects within the limits of a few feet or inches, 
the glories of the heavens, and the beautiful landscape of the 
earth, would be veiled from our sight, as if they were envelop- 
ed in a mist. 

Another circumstance worthy of attention, is, the power 
which the pupil of the eye possesses of contracting or enlarg- 
ing the aperture or hole through which the light is admitted. 
When the light is too weak, the pupil is enlarged ; when it is 
too strong, it is again contracted. Accordingly, we find, that 
when we enter a darksome apartment, though, at first, nothing 
can be accurately distinguished, yet, in the course of a minute 
or two, when the pupil has had time to dilate, we can perceive 
most objects with considerable distinctness. And, on the 
other hand, when we pass from a dark room to an apartment 
lighted up with a number of lustres, we feel uneasy at the 
sudden glare, till the pupil has contracted itself, and excluded 
a portion of the superfluous rays. Were it not for this pro- 
perty, we should, for the most part, either be surrounded with 
a disagreeable gloom, or oppressed with an excessive splen- 
dor. It is for this reason, that we are unable to look upon the 
sun without being dazzled, and are under the necessity of 
closing the eye-lids, or of turning away the head, when a 
strong light suddenly succeeds to darkness. 

Again, it may not be improper to observe, how wisely the 
Author of Nature has fixed the distance at which we ordina- 
rily see near objects most distinctly. This distance is gener- 
ally from five to eight inches from the eye. But had the eye 
been formed for distinct vision, at the distance of only one 
inch, the object would have obstructed the light, and room 
would have been wanting for the performance of many neces- 
sary operations, which require the hand to intervene between 
the eye and the object. And had the limits of distinct vision 
for near objects been beyond two or three feet, sufficient light 
would not have been afforded for the inspection of minute ob- 
jects, and we could neither have written a letter, nor have read 
a book, with the same convenience and ease we are now ena- 
bled to do. 

From the preceding descriptions and remarks, it will evi 



WONDERS OF VISION. 101 

dently appear, with what admirable skill the different parts of 
the organs of vision are constructed, and how nicely they are 
adapted to the several ends they were intended to subserve. — 
Were any one of these parts wanting, or obstructed in its 
functions, vision would either be impeded, or rendered painful 
and distressing, or completely destroyed. If any of the hu- 
mors of the eye were wanting — if they were less transparent 
— if they were of a different refractive power — or if they were 
of a greater or less convexity than they now are, however 
minute the alteration might be, vision would inevitably be 
obstructed, and every object would appear confused and in- 
distinct. If the retina, on which the images of objects are 
painted, were flat, instead of being concave, while objects in 
the middle of the view appeared distinct, every object towards 
the sides would appear dim and confused. If the cornea 
were as opaque as the sclerotica, to which it is joined, or if 
the retina were not connected with the optic nerve, no visible 
object could possibly be perceived. If one of the six mus- 
cles of the eye were wanting, or impeded in its functions, we 
could not turn it to the right ; if a second were de^cient, we 
could not turn it to the left ; if a third, we could not lift it up- 
wards ; if a fourth, we could not move it downwards ; and if 
it were deprived of the other two muscles, it would be apt to 
roll about in frightful contortions. If the eyes were placed in 
any other part of the body than the head — if they were much 
more prominent than they now are — if they were not sur- 
rounded by the bony socket in which they are lodged — and if 
they were not frequently covered by the eye-lid— -they would 
be exposed to a thousand accidents from which they are now 
protected. If they wanted moisture, and if they were not fre- 
quently wiped by the eye-lids, they would become less trans- 
parent, and more liable to be inflamed ; and if they were not 
sheltered by the eye-brows, the sweat and moisture of the 
forehead would frequently annoy them. Were the light which 
acts upon them devoid of color — were it not reflected from 
objects in every direction — were its motion less swift, or its 
particles much larger than they now are — in short, were any 
one circumstance connected with the structure of this organ, 
and with the modification of the rays of light materially dif- 
ferent from its present arrangement, we should either be subject- 
ed to the hourly recurrence of a thousand painful &ensations, 
or be altogether deprived of the entertainments of vision. 

How admirable an organ, then, is the eye, and how nicely 
adapted to unveil to our view the glorias of the universe ! 
Without the application of any skill or lal rioas efforts, on our 

9 



102 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

part, it turns in every direction, transports us to every sur- 
rounding object, depicts the nicest shades and colors on its 
delicate membranes, and 

" Takes in, at once, the landscape of the world 

At a small inlet, which a grain might close, 

And half creates the wond'rous world we see." — Young. 

— How strikingly does it display, in every part of its structure 
and adaptations, the marks of benevolent design, and of In- 
finite Intelligence ! However common it is to open our eyes, 
and to behold, in an instant, the beauties of an extensive land- 
scape, and however little we may be accustomed to admire 
this wonderful effect, — there is not a doctrine in Religion, nor 
a fact recorded in Revelation, more mysterious and incompre- 
hensible. An excellent French writer has well observed — 
■" The sight of a tree and of the sun, which God shows me, is 
as real and as immediate a revelation as that which led Moses 
towards the burning bush. The only difference between both 
these actions of God on Moses and me, is, that the first is out 
of the common order and economy ; whereas the other is oc- 
casioned by the sequel and connection of those laws which 
God has established for the regulation both of man and na- 
ture." 

If, then, the eye of man (who is a depraved inhabitant of a 
world lying partly in ruins) is an organ so admirably fitted for 
extending our prospects of the visible creation — we may rea- 
sonably conclude, that organized beings, of superior intelli- 
gence and moral purity, possess the sense of vision in a much 
greater degree of perfection than man, in his present state of 
degradation — and that they may be enabled, by their natural 
organs, to penetrate into regions of the universe far beyond 
what man, by the aid of artificial helps, will ever be able to 
descry. It may not be altogether extravagant, nor even be- 
yond the reality of existing facts, to suppose, that there are 
intelligences in the regions of Jupiter or Saturn, whose visual 
organs are in so perfect a state, that they can descry the 
mountains of our moon, and the continents, L lands, and 
oceans which diversify our globe, and are able to delineate a 
map of its surface, to mark the period of its diurnal rotation, 
and even to distinguish its cities, rivers, and volcanoes. It is 
quite evident, that it must be equally easy to Divine Wisdom 
and Omnipotence, to form organs with powers of vision far 
surpassing what I have now supposed, as to form an organ in 
which the magnificent scene of heaven and earth is depicted, 
in a moment, within the compass of half an inch. There ar@ 
animals whose range of vision is circumscribed within tho 



VISUAL ORGANS OF ANIMALS, 103 

limits of a few feet or inches ; and, had we never perceived 
objects through an organ in the same state of perfection as that 
with which we are furnished, we could have formed as little 
conception of the sublimity and extent of our present range of 
sight, as we can now do of those powers of vision, which 
would enable us to descry the inhabitants of distant worlds. — 
The invention of the telescope shows, that the penetrating 
power of the eye may be indefinitely increased ; and, since 
the art of man can extend the limits of natural vision, it is 
easy to conceive, that, in the hand of Omnipotence, a slight 
modification of the human eye might enable it, with the utmost 
distinctness, to penetrate into regions to which the imagina- 
tion can set no bounds. And, therefore, it is not unreasona- 
ble to believe, that, in the future world, this will be one pro- 
perty, among others, of the resurrection-body, that it will be 
furnished with organs of vision, far superior to the present, in 
order to qualify its intelligent inhabitant for taking an ample 
survey of the " riches and glory" of the empire of God. 

I have dwelt somewhat particularly on the functions of the 
eye, in order to show, that it is only when we take a minute 
inspection of the operations of the Creator, that his Infinite 
Wisdom and Intelligence are most distinctly perceived. The 
greater part of Christians will readily admit, that the Wisdom 
of God is manifested in every object, but few of them take the 
trouble to inquire, in what particular contrivances and adapta- 
tions this wisdom is displayed ; and, therefore, rest satisfied 
with vague and general views, which seldom produce any deep 
impression on the mind. " The works of the Lord," which 
are " great" and admirable, " must be sought out by all those 
who have pleasure therein ;" and the more minutely they are 
inspected, the more exquisite and admirable do all his arrange- 
ments appear. 

Were we to enter into an investigation of the visual organs 
of the lower animals, and to consider the numerous varieties 
which occur in their structure, position and movements, and 
how nicely the peculiar organization of the eye is adapted to 
the general structure of the animal, and to its various necessi- 
ties and modes of existence — the operation of the same inscru- 
table Wisdom and Intelligence would meet our eye at every 
step. Birds i for example, which procure their food by their 
beak, have the power of seeing distinctly at a very small dis- 
tance ; and, as their rapid motion through the air renders it 
necessary that they should descry objects at a considerable 
distance, they have two peculiar mechanical contrivances, 
connected with their organs of vision, for producing both these 



104 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

effects. One of these contrivances consists in a flexible rim, 
formed of bone, which surrounds the broadest part of the eye, 
and, by occasionally pressing upon its orb, shortens its focal 
distance, and thus enables it to inspect very near objects. — 
The other consists of a peculiar muscle, which draws back, as 
occasion requires, the crystalline humour, by which means it 
can take a distinct view of a distant landscape ; and can pass 
from the sight of a very near, to the sight of a distant object, 
with rapidity and ease. In fishes, which live in a medium of a 
different refractive power from that of air, the crystalline hu- 
mour has a greater degree of convexity, and more nearly ap- 
proaches to a globular form than that of land animals — which 
conformation is essentially requisite to distinctness of vision 
in the watery element. A fish, of course, cannot see distinctly 
in air, nor a quadruped under water ; and every person who 
has dived into the water with his eyes open, knows, that, 
though he may perceive the general forms and colors of ob- 
jects, his vision is obscure and indistinct. In hares and rab- 
bits the eyes are very convex and prominent, so that they can 
see nearly quite round them ; whereas, in dogs, which pursue 
these animals, the visual organs are placed more in the front 
of the head, to look rather before, than behind them. Some 
animals, as cats and oivls, which pursue their prey in the dark, 
have the pupil of their eye so formed as to be capable of great 
expansion, so that a few rays of light may make a lively im- 
pression on their retina ; while the eagle, which is able to look 
directly at the sun, has its pupil capable of being contracted 
almost to a point. Insects, such as the beetle, the fly, and the 
butterfly, whose eyes are incapable of motion, have several 
thousands of small transparent globes set in a convex hemis- 
phere, every one of which is capable of forming an image of an 
object ; so that they are enabled to view the objects around 
them without moving their heads. But, it would be beyond 
the limits of my plan to prosecute this subject any farther : 
enough has already been stated, to show, that the eyes of men 
and other animals are master-pieces of art, which far transcend 
the human understanding ; and that they demonstrate the con- 
summate wisdom of Him, who planned and constructed the 
organical functions of the various tribes of animated existence. 

I shall now conclude this branch of my subject, by present- 
ing an instance or two of the mechanism of the bones, and the 
movements it is fitted to produce. 

The bones of the human frame are articulated, or connected 
together in different ways, but most frequently in the following 
manner. — Either, 1. a bone with a round head is articulated 



MECHANISM OF THE BONES. 105 

with a cavity, and plays in it as a ball in a socket ; or, 2. they 
are connected together by a hinge-like articulation, which en- 
ables a bone to move up or down, backwards or forwards, like 
a door upon its hinges. An idea of these two motions, and 
the purposes they serve, may be obtained, by considering the 
construction of the pedestal of a telescope, and the joints on 
which it moves. One of the joints is of the nature of a hinge, 
by which a vertical motion, or a motion upwards and down- 
wards is produced. A horizontal motion, or a motion towards 
the right hand or the left, is produced by a pivot moving in a 
socket ; so that, by these two motions, the telescope can be 
made to point in any direction. Such is the nature of the ar- 
ticulations of the bones, and the movements they produce ; and 
wherever one or other of these motions, or both of them com- 
bined, are requisite for the comfort and convenience of the in- 
dividual, such a power of motion is uniformly found to exist. 
If the movement of a joint in every direction would, in any 
particular case, be found inconvenient, the hinge-like articu- 
lation is fixed upon ; but if a motion, in every direction, is 
required for the convenient use of particular members, and for 
the variety of evolutions which a sentient being may have oc- 
casion to make, the ball and socket articulation is combined 
with the former. 

For example, let any person, for a moment, consider the 
joints of his fingers, and compare them with the joint at his 
wrist, where the hand is connected with the fore arm. If he 
hold the back of his hand upwards, he will find that he can 
move his fingers upwards or downwards ; but he cannot turn 
them to the right hand, or to the left, so as to make them de- 
scribe a circular motion. He will also find that his ivrist is 
capable of a similar movement, so that the hand may be bent 
in a vertical direction. But, in addition to this motion, it is 
also capable of being turned in a horizontal direction, or from 
one side to another. In the former case, we have an example 
of the hinge articulation ; in the latter, it is combined with an 
articulation which produces nearly the same effect as a pivot 
moving in a socket. Now, had the joints of the fingers been 
capable of the same motions as the wrist, the hand would have 
lost its firmness, and been incapable of performing a variety 
of mechanical operations which require objects to be held 
with a steady grasp. On the other hand, if the joint of the 
wrist had been formed in the same manner as the joints of the 
fingers, and confined to a vertical motion, the hand would have 
been incapable of one out of a hundred vaisd movements, 
which it can now perform with the greatest ease. In thia 

9* 



106 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

case, we could not have bored a hole with a gimblet, cut down 
corn with a sickle, digged the earth with a spade, sewed clothes 
with a needle, tossed up a ball, or turned up the palm of the 
hand, for any of the useful purposes for which that motion was 
ordained. In short, without the rotatory motion of the wrist, 
the greater part of the operations connected with gardening, 
agriculture, cookery, washing, spinning, weaving, painting, 
carving, engraving, building, and other mechanical arts, could 
not be performed ; and such of them as could be effected, 
would be accomplished only with the greatest inconvenience 
and labor. Any person may convince himself of this, by hold- 
ing his hand in a horizontal position, and preventing his wrist- 
joint from turning round, and then by trying what operations 
he can easily perform without the rotatory motion ; and he 
will soon perceive with what exquisite skill the numerous 
movements of our animal frames have been contrived by the 
great Author of our existence. In each hand there are 27 
bones, all of which are essential to the different motions we 
wish to perform. Every finger is composed of three bones, 
connected together by articulations, muscles, and ligaments. 
If, instead of three, each finger were composed of only one 
bone, it would be quite impossible for us to grasp a single 
object. 

The same admirable contrivance may be perceived in the 
movements of which the Head is susceptible. It was requi- 
site, in order to our convenience and comfort, that we should 
be enabled to move our head backwards or forwards — to look 
up towards the heavens, or downwards to the ground. It was 
also expedient, that it should have a power of turning to the 
right, or to the left, so as to take in a considerable portion ol 
a circle, without being under the necessity of turning round 
the whole body. Accordingly we find, that both these mo- 
tions are provided for, in the manner in which the head is 
connected with the vertebra. The head rests upon the up- 
permost of these bones, to which it is connected by a hinge 
joint, similar to those in the fingers, which allows it to move 
backward and forward ; and, by means of a round, longish 
process, or projection, which moves in a socket, it is enabled 
to move horizontally, as upon an axis. Had the first motion 
been wanting, we could not have looked up to the zenith, 
without laying flat on our back ; nor could we have looked to 
the ground, without placing our bodies in a prone position ; 
end, in snch a case, we could never have seen our own feet, 
unless when they were bent considerably forward. Had the 
second motion been wanting, we could have looked to no- 



MECHANISM OF THE BONES. 107 

thing, except the objects directly before us, without the trouble 
of turning round the whole body, either to the right, or to the 
left. But in the construction of our corporeal system, every 
thing is so arranged and adapted to another, as at once to 
contribute to ease, and facility of motion, in all the varied 
operations and movements we have occasion to perform ; 
which circumstance forcibly demonstrates both the benevo- 
lent intentions, and the admirable wisdom of Him " whose 
hands have made and fashioned us," and who " breathed into 
our nostrils the breath of life." 

The above are only two or three out of a hundred of 
similar instances, which might be produced to show the 
benevolent care which has been exercised in arranging and 
articulating the system of bones, of which the prop-work of 
the human frame is composed. Were we to enter into an 
investigation of the actions and uses of the various muscles, 
the wonderful system of veins and arteries, the action of the 
heart, stomach, and bowels ; the process of respiration, and 
insensible perspiration, and the system of nerves, glands, 
lymphatics, and lacteals — a thousand instances of Divine 
wisdom and beneficence would crowd upon our view, which 
could not fail to excite the pious and contemplative mind to 
join in the devotions of the " sweet singer of Israel," " I will 
praise thee ; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; mar- 
vellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well." 
— But as I intended to present only a few specimens of the 
Wisdom of God, as displayed in the construction of the mate- 
rial world, I shall conclude this department of my subject 
with a single reflection.* 

How foolish and ungrateful is it for rational beings to over- 
look the ivise and benevolent arrangements of the Creator, in 
the material universe ! How many thousands of human 
beings pass their existence without once reflecting on the 
numerous evidences of divine Wisdom and Beneficence, 
which appear around them, or feeling the least spark of gra- 
titude for their preservation and comforts, to that Being " in 
whose hand their breath is, and whose are all their ways !" 
Yea, how many are there who consider themselves as stand- 
ing high in the ranks of the Christian profession, who affect 

* Those who wish to prosecute this subject, particularly that part of if 
which relates to the contrivances of Divine Wisdom, which appear in the 
animal system, will find ample gratification in Nieuwentyt's " Religious 
Philosopher," Vol. 1. and Dr. Paley's " Natural Theology." A variety 
of useful remarks on this subject will also be found in Ray's " Wisdom of 
God in the Creation," Derham's " Physico-Theology," and Bonnet's 
" Contemplation of Nature." 



108 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

to look down, with a certain degree of contempt, on the study 
of the material works of God, as if it were too gross a subject 
for their spiritual attainments ! They profess to trace the 
wisdom of God in the Scriptures, and to feel gratitude for his 
pardoning mercy ; but they seldom feel that gratitude which 
they ought to do for those admirable arrangements in their 
own bodies, and the elements around them, by which their 
lives are preserved, and their happiness promoted ; and even 
seem to insinuate, that they have little or nothing to do with 
the contrivances of the God of Nature. They leave it to the 
genius of infidel philosophers to trace the articulations of the 
bones, the branchings of the veins and arteries, the properties 
of light, and the composition of the atmosphere, while they 
profess to feast their minds on more sublime and spiritual en- 
tertainments. But, surely, such astonishing displays of the 
wisdom and benignity of the Most High, as creation exhibits, 
were never intended to be treated by his intelligent offspring 
with apathy or indifference ; and to do so, must indicate a 
certain degree of base ingratitude towards Him whose inces- 
sant energy sustains the whole assemblage of sentient and 
intelligent beings, and who displays himself, in their construc- 
tion and preservation, to be " wonderful in counsel, and ex- 
cellent in working." Shall we imagine, that, because God 
stands in the gracious relation of our Redeemer, he has ceased 
to stand in the relation of our Creator and Preserver? 0- 
shall we consider those subjects as unworthy of our attention, 
which are the theme of the praises of the heavenly host 1 — 
Rev. iv. 11. Can we suppose that the Almighty displayed 
his infinite wisdom in the curious organization of the human 
eye, that man — the only being in this world who is endowed 
with faculties capable of appreciating its structure, and for 
whose use and entertainment it was intended — should over- 
look such a wonderful piece of Divine workmanship, and feel 
no gratitude for the bestowment of so admirable a gift 1 Shall 
we extol the ingenuity displayed in a clock or a watch, in a 
chess-player, or steam engine, and shall we feel no sentiment 
of admiration at the view of millions of instances of Divine 
mechanism, which infinitely transcend the powers of the human 
understanding ? To act in this manner, as too many are dis- 
posed to do, is unworthy of man, both as a Christian and as 
an intelligent agent. Such was not the conduct of the inspired 
writers ; their spirituality of views did not lead them to neglect 
the contemplation of any of the works of God. " I will me- 
ditate on all thy works,'' says the Psalmist, " and talk of all 
thy doings ; I will utter abundantly the memory of thy great 



MORAL REFLECTIONS. 109 

goodness, and speak of all thy wondrous works." Accord- 
ingly we find, that the wonders of the human frame, the eco- 
nomy of the animal and the vegetable tribes, the scenery of 
the " dry land," and of the " mighty deep," and the glories 
of the heavens, were the frequent subjects of their devout 
contemplation. They considered them in relation to the un- 
ceasing agency of God, by whom they were formed and ar- 
ranged, and as declaring his Wisdom, Goodness, and Omnipo- 
tence ; and, with this view, ought all the scenes of the visible 
creation to be investigated by his intelligent creatures. 

We have reason to believe, that it is owing, in part, to want 
of attention to the Divine wisdom and beneficence, as exhibit- 
ed in the construction of the visible world, that many profess- 
ed Christians entertain so vague and confused ideas respect- 
ing the wisdom and goodness of Deity, as displayed in the 
economy of Redemption. The terms, Wisdom, Goodness, 
and Beneficence, in their mouths, become words almost with- 
out meaning, to which no precise or definite ideas are attach- 
ed ; because they have never considered the instances and the 
evidences of these attributes, as displayed in the material 
creation. And, if our minds have not been impressed with a 
sense of the wisdom and beneficence of God, in those objects 
which are presented to the external senses, we cannot be sup- 
posed to have luminious and distinct ideas of those spiritual 
objects and arrangements which are removed beyond the 
sphere of our corporeal organs. — For all our ideas, in relation 
to Religion and its objects, are primarily derived from the in- 
timations w T e receive of external objects, through the medium 
of our senses ; and, consequently, the more clearly we per- 
ceive the agency of God, in his visible operations, the more 
shall w r e be qualified to perceive the wisdom and harmony of 
his dispensations, as recorded in the volume of inspiration. 

We live in a world, all the arrangements of which are the 
effects of infinite wisdom. W r e are surrounded with wonders 
on every hand ; and, therefore, we cease to admire, or to fix 
our attention on any one of the wonders daily performed by 
God. We have never been accustomed to contemplate, or 
to inhabit a world where benevolence and wisdom are not 
displayed ; and, therefore, we are apt to imagine, that the cir- 
cumstances of our terrestrial existence could not have been 
much otherwise than they actually are. We behold the sun 
in the morning, ascending from the east — a thousand shining 
globes are seen in the canopy of the sky, when he has disap- 
peared in the west. We open our eye-lids, and the myriads 
of objects which compose an extensive landscape, are, in a 



110 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

moment, painted on our retina, — we wish to move oui bodies, 
and, in an instant, the joints and muscles of our hands and 
feet perform their several functions. We spread out our wet 
clothes to drv, and in a few hours the moisture is evaporated. 
We behold the fields drenched with rain, and in a few days it 
disappears, and is dispersed through the surrounding atmo- 
sphere, to be again embodied into clouds. These are all com- 
mon operations, and, therefore, thoughtless and ungrateful man 
seldom considers the obligations he is under to the Author of 
his existence, for the numerous enjoyments which flow from 
these wise arrangements But were the globe we inhabit, and 
all its appendages to remain in their present state — and were 
only the principle n and the refractive and n 

ive | to be destroyed — we should - 

feel, by the universal gloom which would ensue, and by a 
thousand other inconveniences we should sufler, what a 
serable world was allotted for our abode. V» e should most 
sensibly perceive the wisdom and goodness we had formerly 
overlooked, and would most ardently implore the restoration 
oft:: ogements for which we were never sufficiently 

grateful. And why should we net . i — while we enjo] 
many comforts flowing from the plans of infinite Wisdom — 
have our attention directed to the benevolent contrivances 
within us, and around us, in order that grateful emotions 
be hourly arising in our hearts, to the I f our sp: 

For the essence of true religion consists chiefly in _ 
to the God of our lift . Author of our salvation : and 

v pleasing sensation we feel from the harmonies and the 
beauties of nature. inspire us with this sacred emotion. 

M Hearken unto this, ( stand still, and consider the won- 

derful work- of God. Contemplate the balancings of the clouds 
f. e wondrous wt : in knowled 

th made the earth by his power, lie hath established the 
his wisdom. When he uttereth his voice, mere is a 
: he causeth the vapours t< 

I from the ends of the earth, and bringeth the wil 

." While . eful for man to be inattentive to 

round him, what can be mon .rand 

t mind, than contemplatioi 

ing, v 

i to conU mplate, in the heavens, in v. 

in the water, in tfa ed, throughout all 

nature, th m, the puritv, 

and the goodness tor and I ■ r ! What 

a the whole ere a- 






BENEVOLENCE OF THE DEITY. Ill 

tion, in all the natural world, in every thing we see, traces of 
the ever- working providence, and tender mercy of the great 
Father of all !" 

SECTION IV. 

On the Goodness, or Benevolence of the Deity. 

The Benevolence of God is that perfection of his nature, 
by which he communicates happiness to the various ranks of 
sensitive and intelligent existence. 

The system of Nature, in all its parts, exhibits an unbound- 
ed display of this attribute of the Divine Mind, both in rela- 
tion to man, and in relation to the subordinate tribes of anima- 
ted existence. In relation to JMTrifi — the magnificence and 
glory of the heavens — the variegated coloring which is spread 
over the scene of nature — the beautiful flowers, shrubs, and 
trees, with which the earth is adorned, which not only delight 
the eye, but perfume the air with their delicious odors — the 
various kinds of agreeable sounds that charm the ear — the 
music of the feathered songsters, which fill the groves with 
their melody — the thousands of pleasant images which delight 
the eye, in the natural embellishments of creation — the agree- 
able feelings produced by the contact of almost every thing 
we have occasion to touch — the pleasure attached to eating, 
drinking, muscular motion and activity — the luxuriant profu- 
sion, and rich variety of aliments which the earth affords — and 
the interchanges of thought and affection — all proclaim the 
Benevolence of our Almighty Maker, and show that the com- 
munication of happiness is one grand object of all his arrange- 
ments. For these circumstances are not essentially requisite 
to our existence. We might have lived, and breathed, and 
walked, though every thing we touched had produced pain ; 
though every thing we ate and drank had been bitter ; though 
every movement of our hands and feet had been accompanied 
with uneasiness and fatigue ; though every sound had been 
as harsh as the saw of the carpenter ; though no birds had 
warbled in the groves ; though no flowers .had decked the 
fields, or filled the air with their perfumes ; though one un- 
varied scene of du-L uniformity had prevailed, and beauty and 
sublimity had bee swept from the face of nature ; though the 
earth had been covered with a mantle of black, and no radiant 
o*us had appeared in our nocturnal sky. But what a misera- 



112 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ble world should we then have inhabited, compared with that 
which we now possess ! Life would have passed away with- 
out enjoyment ; and pain would have overbalanced the plea- 
sure of existence. Whereas, in the existing constitution of 
things, all the objects around us, and every sense of which 
we are possessed, when preserved in its natural vigor, have a 
direct tendency to produce pleasing sensations, and to con- 
tribute to our enjoyment : and it is chiefly when we indulge 
in foolish and depraved passions, and commit immoral ac- 
tions, that the benevolent intentions of the Deity are frus- 
trated, and pain and misery produced. 

If we consider, further, that the inexhaustable bounty of the 
Creator, and the numerous pleasures we enjoy, are bestowed 
upon a guilty race of men, the benevolence of the Deity will 
appear in a still more striking point of view. Man has dared 
to rebel against his Maker ; he is a depraved and ungrateful 
creature. The great majority of our race have banished God 
from their thoughts, trampled upon his laws, neglected to con- 
template his works, refused to pay him that tribute of rever- 
ence and adoration which his perfections demand, have been 
ungrateful for his favours, have blasphemed his name, and 
have transferred to " four-footed beasts, and creeping things," 
that homage which is due to him alone. It has been the chief 
part of their employment, in all ages, to counteract the effects 
of his Beneficence, by inflicting injustice, oppression, and tor- 
ture, upon each other ; by maiming the human frame, burning 
cities and villages, turning fruitful fields into a wilderness, and 
by every other act of violence, carrying death and destruction 
through the world. And if water, air, and the light of heaven, 
had been placed within the limits of their control, it is more 
than probable, that whole nations would have been occasion- 
ally deprived of these elements, so essential to human exis- 
tence. Yet, notwithstanding the prevalence of such deprav- 
ed dispositions, the streams of Divine benevolence towards 
our apostate race, have never yet been interrupted. The 
earth has never stopped in its career, and thrown nature into a 
scene of confusion ; the light of heaven has never ceased to 
illume the world ; the springs of water have never been dried 
up, nor has the fertile soil ceased to enrich the plains with 
golden harvests. God " hath not left himself without a wit- 
ness," to his beneficence, in any age, in that he hath unceas- 
ingly bestowed on the inhabitants of the world, " rain from 
heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and 
gladness." This is one of the characters of Deity which 
forms the most perfect c atrast to the selfish and" revengeful 



BENEVOLENCE OP THE DEITY. 113 

dispositions of man, which as far transcends human benevo- 
lence, as the heavens in extent surpass the earth — a character 
calculated to excite our highest love and admiration, and which 
we are called upon, in the Sacred Oracles, to imitate and re- 
vere. " Be ye merciful, as your Father who is in heaven is 
merciful : for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the 
good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." " O 
that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his 
wonderful works to the children of men." 

From such considerations, we learn, even from the system 
of nature, that mercy is an attribute of the Deity ; for ,if mercy 
consists in bestowing favors on those who are unworthy, or 
who merit punishment, the greatest sinners in all ages have 
shared in it, and every individual of the human race, now ex- 
isting, enjoys a certain portion of those comforts which flow 
from the benevolent arrangements which the Creator has es- 
tablished. " He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the 
good." Though the nations in ancient times, as well as at 
present, " walked in their own way," indulging in impiety, 
falsehood, lewdness, war, devastations, revenge, abominable 
idolatries, and every other violation of his law, he still support- 
ed the functions of their animal frames, and caused the influ- 
ence of the sun, the rains, and the dews, to descend upon 
their fields, that they might be refreshed with his bounty, and 
filled " with food and gladness." If mercy were not an es- 
sential attribute of the Deity, he would have cut them down 
in the midst of their first transgressions, shattered to pieces 
the globe on which they dwelt, and buried them in eternal ob- 
livion. But whether Divine mercy will extend to the final for- 
giveness of sin, and the communication of eternal happiness 
to such beings, can be learned only from the discoveries of 
revelation. 

In relation to the inferior animals — the immense multitude 
of living creatures with which the earth is replenished, is a 
striking evidence of the vast profusion of Divine Benefi- 
cence. More than a hundred thousand species of animated 
beings are dispersed through the different regions of the air, 
the water, and the earth, besides myriads which are invisible 
to the unassisted eye. To estimate the number of individuals 
belonging to any one species is beyond the power of man. — 
What countless myriads of herrings, for example, are contained 
in a single shoal, which is frequently more than six miles long 
and three miles broad ! To estimate the number of individu- 
als in all the different species would, therefore, be as impossi- 
ble as to count the grains of sand in the Arabian deserts. — 

10 



114 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

There is not a single spot, in any region of the globe, but 
what teems with animated beings. Yet, all this vast assem- 
blage of sensitive existence is amply provided for by the 
bountiful Creator. " These all wait upon him, and he giveth 
them their meat in due season." They enjoy not only life, 
but also a happy existence. The sportive motions, and gesti- 
culations cf ail the animal tribes — the birds skimming through 
the air, warbling in the groves, and perching on the trees — the 
beasts of the field, bounding in the forests, and through the lawns 
— the fishes sporting in the waters — the reptiles wriggling in 
the dust, and the winged insects, by a thousand wanton mazes 
— all declare that they are rejoicing in their existence, and in 
the exercise ot those powers with which the Creator has fur- 
nished them. So that wherever we turn our eyes, we evident- 
ly perceive, that " the earth is full of the goodness of the 
Lord," and that " his tender mercies are over all his works." 

This subject is boundless — but it would be inconsistent with 
the limited plan of this work, to enter into any particular details. 
And it is the less necessary, when we consider, that every in- 
stance of Divine Wisdom is, at the same time, an instance of 
benevolence ; for it is the ultimate object of all the wise contri- 
vances in the system of Nature, that happiness may be com- 
municated to the various ranks of sensitive and intelligent ex- 
istence. Goodness chooses the end, and wisdom selects the 
most proper means for its accomplishment ; so that these two 
attributes must always be considered in simultaneous opera- 
tion. And, therefore, the instances I have already specified, 
of the Wisdom and Intelligence of the Creator, may also be 
considered, as exemplifications of Divine Benevolence. — I 
shall, therefore, conclude this topic with the following extract 
from Dr. Paley : — 

" Contrivance proves design ; and the prominent tendency 
of the contrivance, indicates the disposition of the designer. 
The world abounds with contrivances ; and all the contrivan- 
ces we are acquainted with, are directed to beneficial purposes. 
Evil, no doubt, exists ; but it is never, that we can perceive, 
the object of contrivance. Teeth are contrived to eat, not to 
ache ; their aching now and then, is incidental to the contri- 
vance, perhaps inseparable from it : or even, if you will, let it 
be called a defect in the contrivance, but it is not the object of 
it. This is a distinction which well deserves to be attended 
to. In describing implements of husbandry, you will hardly 
say of a sickle, that it is made to cut the reaper's fingers, 
though from the construction of the instrument, and the man- 
ner of using it, this mischief often happens. But if you had 



BENEVOLENCE OF THE DEITY. 115 

occasion to describe instruments of torture or execution, this, 
you would say, is to extend the sinews ; this to dislocate the 
joints ; this to break die bones ; this to scorch the soles of the 
feet. Here pain and misery are the very objects of the contri- 
vance. Now nothing of this sort is to be found in the works 
of nature. We never discover a train of contrivance to bring 
about an evil purpose. No anatomist ever discovered a sys- 
tem of organization calculated to produce pain and disease ; 
or, in explaining the parts of the human body, ever said, this is 
to irritate ; this to inflame ; this duct is to convey the gravel 
io the kidneys ; this gland to secrete the humor which forms 
ihe gout. If, by chance, he come at a part of which he knows 
not the use, the most he can say is, that it is useless ; no one 
ever suspects that it is put there to incommode, to annoy, or 
torment. Since, then, God hath called forth his consummate 
wisdom to contrive and provide for our happiness, and the 
world appears to have been constituted with this design at 
first, so long as this constitution is upheld by him, we must, in 
reason, suppose the same design to continue." — Paley's Mo- 
ral Philosophy, Book II. Chap. 5. 

Thus, I have endeavored, in this and the preceding section, 
to exhibit a few specimens of the Wisdom and Goodness of 
God, in the system of nature. These might have been multi- 
plied to an indefinite extent, but the instances adduced, I pre- 
sume, are sufficient to show, that the economy of the material 
world is not altogether a barren subject, to a pious and con- 
templative mind. Every intelligent believer in Revelation, 
will readily admit, that it would be a highly desirable object, to 
induce upon the mass of Christians such a habit of devout at- 
tention to the visible works of creation, as would lead them, in 
their social and solitary walks, to recognize the agency of God, 
in every object they behold ; to raise their thoughts to Him as 
the Great First Cause, and to expand their hearts with emo- 
tions of gratitude. How very different must be the senti- 
ments and the piety of the man who looks on the scene or 
wisdom and magnificence around him, with a " brute uncon- 
scious gaze," as thousands of professed Christians do — and 
the grateful and pious emotions of him who recognizes the be- 
nevolent agency of God, in the motions of his fingers, and his 
eye-balls ; in the pulsation of his heart ; in the picture of ex- 
ternal objects, every moment formed on his retina ; in the re- 
flection of the rays of light, and the diversified colors they pro- 
duce ; in the drying of his clothes ; in the constitution of the 
atmosphere ; in the beauty and magnificence of the earth and 
the heavens ; and in every other object that meets his eye, in 



116 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the expanse of nature ! The numberless astonishing instances 
of Divine agency, which every where present themselves to 
our view in the scene around us, seem evidently intended to 
arrest the mind to a consideration of an " ever-present Dei- 
ty ;" and I envy not the sentiments or the feelings of that man 
who imagines, that he stands in no need of such sensible me- 
diums, to impress his mind with a sense of the benevolent caro 
and omnipresence of God. 



CHAPTER II. 



CONTAINING A CURSORY VIEW OF SOME OF THE SCIENCES 

WHICH ARE RELATED TO RELIGION AND 

CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. 



DOiOC 



Theology has generally been viewed as a study of a very 
limited range : and, hence, when it has been admitted into the 
circle of the sciences, a much smaller space has been allotted 
for its discussion, than has been devoted to almost any other 
department of human knowledge. When considered, how 
ever, in its most extensive sense — in its relations to the Divine 
Being — to his past and prese?it dispensations towards the hu- 
man race — to the present circumstances, and the future des- 
tiny of man — and to the physical and moral condition of all 
the sentient and intelligent beings of which we have any inti- 
mation — it ought to be viewed as the most varied and com- 
prehensive of all the sciences ; as embracing, within its ex- 
tensive grasp, all the other departments of useful knowledge, 
both human and divine. As it has God for its object, it must 
include a knowledge of the universe he has formed — of the 
movements which are continually going on throughout the 
wide extent of his empire, in so far as they lie open to our in- 
spection — of the attributes which appear to be displayed in all 
his operations — of the moral laws he has framed for the regu- 
lation of holy intelligences — of the merciful arrangements he 
has made for the restoration of fallen man — of the plans by 
which the knowledge of his will is to be circulated and exten- 
ded in the world in which we live — of the means by which 
truth, and moral purity, and order, are to be promoted among 
our apostate race, in order to their restoration to the happiness 
they have lost— together with all those diversified ramifications 
of knowledge, which have either a more remote, or a more im- 
mediate bearing on the grand object now specified. Like the 
lines which proceed from the circumference to the centre of 

10* 



118 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER* 

an immense circle — all the moral* arts and sciences which 
have been invented by men — every department of human 
knowledge, however far it may, at first sight, appear to be re- 
moved from religion — may be considered as having a direct 
bearing on Theology, as the grand central point, and as hav- 
ing a certain tendency to promote its important objects. 

It is much to be regretted, that Theology has so seldom 
been contemplated in this point of view — and that the sciences 
have been considered rather as so many independent branches 
of secular knowledge, than as subservient to the elucidation 
of the facts and doctrines of religion, and to the accomplish- 
ment of its benevolent designs. Hence, it has happened, 
that Philosophy and Religion, instead of marching hand in hand 
to the portals of immortality, have frequently set themselves in 
hostile array ; and combats have ensued equally injurious to 
the interests of both parties. The Philosopher has occasion- 
ally been disposed to investigate the economy of nature, 
without a reference to the attributes of that Almighty Being 
who presides over its movements, as if the universe were a 
self-moving and independent machine ; and has, not unfre- 
quently taken occasion, from certain obscure and insolated 
facts, to throw out insinuations hostile to the truth and the 
character of the Christian Revelation. The Theologian, on 
the other hand, in the heat of his intemperate zeal against 
the infidel philosopher, has, ungardedly, been led to declaim 
against the study of science, as if it were unfriendly to reli- 
gion — has, in effect, set the works of God in opposition to 
his word — has confounded the foolish theories of speculative 
minds with the rational study of the w r orks of Deity — and has 
thus prevented the mass of mankind from expanding their 
minds, by the contemplation of the beauties and sublimities of 
nature. 

It is now high time that a complete reconciliation were 
effected between these contending parties. Religion ought 
never to disdain to derive her supports and illustrations from 
the researches of science ; for the investigations of philoso- 
phy into the economy of Nature, from whatever motives they 
may be undertaken, are nothing else than an inquiry into the 
plans and operations of the Eternal Mind. And Philosophy 
ought always to consider it as her highest honor, to walk as an 

* The epithet moral is here used in its application to arts, because there 
are certain arts which must be considered as having an immoral tendency, 
auch as, the art of war, the art of boxing, of gambling, &c. &,c. and which, 
therefore; cannot have a direct tendency to promote the objects of reli 
&ion. 



INTRODUCTION OF THE SCIENCES. 119 

handmaid in the train of that religion which points out the 
path to the regions of eternal bliss. By their mutual aid, and 
the subserviency of the one to the other, the moral and intel- 
lectual improvement of man will be promoted, and the bene- 
volent purposes of God, in the kingdom of providence, grad- 
ually accomplished. But when set in opposition to each other, 
the human mind is bewildered and retarded in its progress, and 
the Deity is apt to be considered as set in opposition to him- 
self — as proclaiming one system of doctrines from the econo- 
my of revelation, and another, and an opposite system, from 
the economy of nature. But if the Christian Revelation, and 
the system of the material world derived their origin from the 
same Almighty Being, the most complete harmony must sub- 
sist between the revelations they respectively unfold ; and the 
apparent inconsistencies which occur, must be owning chiefly 
to the circumstances of our present station in the universe, 
and to the obscure and limited views we are obliged to take of 
some of the grand and diversified objects they embrace. And, 
therefore, we have reason to believe that, when the system of 
nature shall be more extensively explored, and the leading 
objects of revelation contemplated in a clearer light, without 
being tinged with the false coloring of party opinions and 
contracted views, and when rational inquirers shall conduct 
their researches with a greater degree of reverence, humility, 
and Christian temper — the beauty and harmony of all the 
plans and revelations of the Deity, in reference both to the 
physical and the moral w T orld, will be more distinctly perceived 
and appreciated. 

In the following cursory sketches, it forms no part of my 
plan to trace even an outline of the different sciences which are 
connected with religion, much less to enter into any particular 
details, in relation to their facts and principles. It would be 
comparatively easy to fill up the remaining sheets of this vol- 
ume with skeletons of the different sciences.; but such mea- 
gre details as behooved to be brought forward, could not be 
interesting to the general reader, and would fail in accomplish- 
ing the object proposed. My design simply is, to select some 
leading facts, or general truths, in relation to some of the phy- 
sical sciences, for the purpose of showing their connection 
with the objects of religion and the interests of rational piety. 
At the same time, such definite descriptions will be given as 
will enable common readers to appreciate the objects and 
bearings of the different branches of knowledge which may be 
presented to their view. 



HO THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

^he first science* I shall notice is, that of 

NATURAL HISTORY. 

This science, taken in its most comprehensive sense, in- 
cludes a knowledge and description of all the known facts in 
the material universe. 

It is to be regretted, that most books published under the 
title of Natural History, to which common readers have ac- 
cess, contain nothing more than a general description of ani- 
mals, as if this science were confined merely to one class of 
beings ; whereas there is an infinite variety of other objects 
seldom noticed, which would appear no less interesting, and, 
in some instances, much more novel and gratifying to the gene- 
ral reader, and to the youthful mind. All the diversified forms 
of matter, whether existing on the surface or in the bowels of 
the earth, in the ocean, the atmosphere, or in the heavens, 
form the legitimate objects of this department of the science 
of nature. 

Were we, therefore, to sketch a comprehensive outline of 
the subjects of Natural History, we might, in the first place, 
take a cursory survey of the globe we inhabit, in reference to 
its magnitude, figure, motions, and general arrangements — the 
form, relations, and extent of its continents — the numerous 
islands which diversify the surface of the ocean — the magni 
tude, the direction, and the extent of its rivers, and the quan- 
tity of water they pour into the ocean — the direction, elevation, 
and extent of the different ranges of mountains which rise from 
its surface — the plains, morasses, lakes, forests, dells, and 
sandy deserts, which diversify its aspect — the extent, the mo- 
tions, the color, and the different aspects of the ocean, and the 
facts which have been ascertained respecting its saltness, its 
depth, its bottom, and its different currents. We might next 
take a more particular view of some of the most remarkable 
objects on its surface, and give a detail of the facts which are 
known respecting the history of volcanoes — their number — * 
the countries in which they are situated — the awful pheno- 
mena they exhibit — and the devastations they have produced : 

* The term science, in its most general and extensive sense, signifies 
knowledge, particularly that species of knowledge which is acquired by the 
exertion of the human faculties. In a more restricted sense, it denotes, a 
systematic species of knowledge, which consists of rule and order, such as 
Mathematics, Astronomy, Natural Philosophy, &c. — In the discussion! 
contained in this work, it is used in its most general sense, as denoting tha 
various departments of human knowledge, in which sense, history, both 
natural, civil, and sacred, may be termed science. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 121 

the history of earthquakes, their phenomena and effects, and 
the countries most subject to their ravages — basaltic and 
rocky wonders, natural bridges, precipices, cataracts, ice 
islands, icebergs, glaciers, whirlpools, mineral wells, recipro- 
cating fountains, boiling springs, sulphuric mountains, bitu- 
minous lakes, volcanic islands — the various aspects of nature 
m the different zones, and the contrasts presented between 
the verdant scenes of tropical climes, and the icy cliffs of the 
polar regions. We would next take a survey of the subter- 
raneous wonders which lie beneath the surface of the earth — - 
the immense chasms and caverns which wind in various direc- 
tions among the interior strata of our globe — such as the 
Great Kentucky cavern, and the grotto of Antiparos — the 
mines of salt, coal, copper, lead, diamond, iron, quicksilver, 
tin, gold, and silver — the substances which compose the vari- 
ous strata, the fossil bones, shells, and petrifactions which are 
embedded in the different layers, and the bendings and dis- 
ruptions which appear to have taken place in the substances 
which compose the exterior crust of the earth. We might 
next survey the atmosphere with which the earth is environed, 
and give a detail of the facts which have been ascertained 
respecting its specific gravity and pressure, the elementary 
principles of which it is compounded, its refractive and reflect- 
ive powers, and the phenomena which result from its various 
properties and modifications — the meteors which appear in its 
different regions — thunder and lightning, winds, hail, rain, 
clouds, rainbows ; parhelias or mock-suns, meteoric stones, 
the aurora borealis, luminous arches, ignes fatui, the mirage, 
the fata morgana, hurricanes, monsoons, whirlwinds and wa 
terspouts, sounds and echoes. 

In prosecuting our survey of sublunary nature, we would 
next advert to the various orders of the vegetable tribes — then- 
anatomical structure — the circulation of their juices — the food 
by which they are nourished — the influence of light and air 
on their growth and motions — their male and female organs — - 
their periods of longevity — their modes of propagation — their 
diseases and dissolution — their orders, genera, and species— 
their immense variety — their influence on the salubrity of the 
atmosphere — the relation which their roots, leaves, and fruits 
bear to the wants of man and other animals, in supplying food, 
clothing, and materials for constructing habitations — the gums 
and resinous substances they exude — the odors they exhale — 
the variety of colors they exhibit — the vast diversity of forms 
in which they appear — and the beauty and variety which thev 
spread over the whole face of nature 



\%% THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

The mineral kingdom would next require to be surveyed. 
We would inquire into the facts which have been ascertained 
respecting the earthy, saline, inflammable, and metallic sub- 
stances which are found on the surface and in the bowels of 
the earth — -their specific and distinguishing characters — the 
elementary principles, or simple substances, of which they are 
composed — the regions of the earth where the respective 
minerals most frequently abound— and the ends which they 
are designed to accomplish in the constitution of the globe. 
We would consider, more particularly, the various metals, 
such as iron, copper, lead, tin, gold, silver, bismuth, zinc, &c. 
in reference to the substances with which they are united in 
their native ores- — the changes produced upon them by the 
action of oxygen and the different acids — their combustibility 
— their combination with phosphorus, sulphur, and carbon ; 
and various compounds into which they may be formed — their 
important uses in the arts which minister to the comfort and 
embellishment of human life — their relation to the multifarious 
necessities of man — and the wisdom and goodness of the 
Creator, as displayed in their arrangement in the bowels of 
the earth, and in the admirable properties of which they are 
possessed. In these details, the natural history of Iron would 
hold a prominent place. In point of utility, it claims the high- 
est rank in the class of metals, and is intrinsically more valua 
ble than gold and silver, and all the diamonds of the East. — 
There is scarcely a mineral substance in the whole compass 
of nature, which affords a more striking instance of the bene- 
ficial and harmonious adaptation of things in the universal sys- 
tem. We would, therefore, consider it in reference to its vast 
abundance in all parts of the world — the numerous substances 
into which it enters into combination — its magnetical property 
— its capability of being fused and welded — the numerous 
useful utensils it has been the means of producing — its agency 
in carrying forward improvements in art and science, in the 
civilization of barbarous tribes, and in promoting the progress 
of the human mind ; and the aids which it affords to the Chris- 
tian missionary in heathen lands. 

Having surveyed the inanimate parts of the terraqueous 
globe, and its appendages, we might next direct our attention 
to the animated tribes with which it is peopled. Beginning 
at JYIan, the head of the animal creation, we would detail the 
principal facts which have been ascertained respecting his 
structure and organical functions — the muscular movements 
of the human body, the system of bones, nerves, veins, and 
arteries ; the process of respiration ; and the organs of vision, 



NATURAL HISTORY. 123 

hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling, by which he holds a 
correspondence with the material world- — the modifications 
which appear in his corporeal frame and in his mental facul- 
ties, during the periods of infancy, puberty, manhood, and old 
age- the causes and phenomena of sleep and dreaming — the 
varieties of the human race, in respect of color, stature, and 
-features — the deviations from the ordinary course of nature, 
which occasionally occur, in the case of monsters, dwarfs, and 
giants — the moral and intellectual faculties — and those distin- 
guishing characteristics which prove the superiority of man 
over the other tribes of animated nature. 

The inferior ranks of the animal creation would next demand 
our attention. We would take a survey of the numerous tribes 
of Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Serpents, Lizards, and Insects, 
in reference to the characteristic marks by which the different 
species are distinguished, — their food, and habitations — the 
different modes in which they display their architective faculty, 
in constructing places of abode for shelter and protection — 
the clothing with which they are furnished — their sagacity in 
finding out the proper means for subsistence and self-preser- 
vation — their hostilities— their artifices in catching their prey, 
and escaping their enemies^ — their modes of propagation — 
their transformations from one state and form to another — 
their migrations to different countries and climates — their 
various instincts — their care in rearing and protecting their 
young — their passions, mental characters, and social disposi- 
tions — their language, or modes of communication with each 
other — their capacities for instruction and improvement — 
their different powers of loco-motion— the adaptation of all 
their organs to the purposes for which they seem intended — 
the indications they give of being possessed of moral disposi- 
tions and rational powers — their different periods of longevity, 
and the ends which they are intended to subserve in the system 
of nature. Along with these details, certain views might be 
exhibited of the various forms of sensitive life, and modes of 
existence, which obtain in those numerous species of animals 
which are invisible to the naked eye, and which the microscope 
discovers in almost every department of nature. 

Having surveyed the objects which compose our sublunary 
system, we would next direct our view to the regions of the 
sky, and contemplate the facts which have been discovered 
in relation to the celestial orbs. We would first attend to the 
apparent motion of the sun, the different points of the horizon 
at which he seems to rise and set, and the different degrees of 
elevation to which he arrives, at different seasons of the year, 



124 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

— the different aspects he presents as viewed from different 
parts of the earth's surface, and the different lengths of days 
and nights in different parts of the world. We would next 
attend to the varied phases of the moon — the direct and re- 
trograde motions of the planets — the apparent diurnal motion 
of the whole celestial sphere, from east to west — and the dif- 
ferent clusters of stars which are seen in our nocturnal sky, 
at different seasons of the year. We would next consider the 
deductions which science has made, respecting the order and 
arrangement of the planets which compose the solar system 
— their distances from the sun, and from the earth — their 
magnitudes — the periods of their diurnal and annual revolu- 
tions — the secondary planets, or moons, which accompany 
them — their eclipses — the various phenomena which their 
surfaces present when viewed through telescopes — the phy- 
sical influence which some of them produce on the surface of 
our globe — and the singular appearance of those bodies called 
Comets, which occasionally visit this part of our system. We 
would, in the next place, extend our views to the starry re- 
gions, and consider the number of stars which present them- 
selves to the naked eye — the immensely greater numbers 
which are discovered by telescopes — the systems into which 
they appear to be arranged — the facts which have been ascer- 
tained respecting new stars — double and treble stars — stars 
once visible, which have now disappeared from the heavens — 
variable stars, whose lustre is increased and diminished at 
different periods of time — and the structure and position of 
the many hundreds of Nebula, or starry systems, which ap- 
pear to be dispersed throughout the immensity of creation. 

All the particulars now stated, and many others which 
might have been specified — considered simply as facts which 
exist in the system of Nature — form the appropriate and legi- 
timate objects of Natural History, and demand the serious 
attention of every rational intelligence, that wishes to trace 
the perfections and agency of the Almighty Creator. To in- 
vestigate the causes of the diversified phenomena which the 
material world exhibits, and the principles and modes by 
which many of the facts now alluded to are ascertained, is the 
peculiar province of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and the 
Mathematical Sciences. 

Amidst so vast a variety of objects as Natural History 
presents, it is difficult to fix on any particular facts, as speci- 
mens of the interesting nature of this department of know- 
ledge, without going beyond the limits to which I am neces- 
sarily confined in this volume. I shall content myself with a 



NATURAL HISTORY. 125 

description of two objects, which have a reference chiefly to 
the vegetable kingdom. The first of these is 

The Banian Tree. — " This tree, which is also called the 
Burr tree, or the Indian Fig, is one of the most curious and 
beautiful of Nature's productions, in the genial climate of 
India, where she sports with the greatest variety and profu- 
sion. Each tree is in itself a grove ; and some of them are 
of an amazing size and extent, and, contrary to most other 
animal and vegetable productions, seem to be exempted from 
decay. Every branch from the main body, throws out its 
own roots ; at first, in small tender fibres, several yards from 
the ground ; these continually grow thicker, until, by a gra- 
dual descent, they reach the surface, and there, striking in, 
they increase to large trunks, and become parent trees, shoot- 
ing out new branches from the tops. These, in time, suspend 
their roots, and receiving nourishment from the earth, swell 
into trunks, and shoot forth other branches ; thus continuing 
in a state of progression, so long as the earth, the first parent 
of them all, contributes her sustenance. A Banian tree, with 
many trunks, forms the most beautiful walks, vistas, and cool 
recesses, that can be imagined. The leaves are large, soft, 
and of a lively green ; the fruit is a small fig, w^hen ripe, of a 
bright scarlet, affording sustenance to monkeys, squirrels, 
peacocks, and birds of various kinds, which dw T ell among the 
branches. 

" The Hindoos are peculiarly fond of the Banian tree ; 
they consider its long duration, its outstretching arms, and its 
overshadowing beneficence, as emblems of the Deity, and 
almost pay it divine honors. The Brahmins, who thus ' find 
a fane in every sacred grove,' spend much of their time in 
religious solitude, under the shade of the Banian tree ; they 
plant it near their temples or pagodas ; and in those villages 
where there is no structure erected for public worship, they 
place an image under one of these trees, and .there perform a 
morning and evening sacrifice . The natives of all castes 
and tribes are fond of recreating in the cool recesses, beau- 
tiful walks, and lovely vistas of this umbrageous canopy, im- 
pervious to the hottest beams of a tropical sun. These are 
the trees under whfch a sect of naked philosophers, called 
Gymnosophists assembled in Arrian's days, and this historian 
of Ancient Greece presents a true picture of the modern 
Hindoos. 4 In winter,' he says, ' the Gymnosophists enjoy 
the benefit of the sun's rays in the open air ; and in summer, 
when the heat becomes excessive, they pass their time in cool 
and moist places, under large trees, which, according to the 

II 



126 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

accounts of Nearchus, cover a circumference of Jive acres, 
and extend their branches so far, that ten thoasand men may 
easily find shelter under them.' 

11 On the banks of the river Narbuddy, in the province of 
Guzzerat, is a Banian tree, supposed, by some persons, to be 
the one described by Nearchus, and certainly not inferior to 
it. It is distinguished by the name of Cubbeer Burr, which 
was given it in honor of a famous saint. High floods have, at 
various times, swept away a considerable part of this extraor- 
dinary tree ; but what still remains, is nearly two thousand feet 
in circumference measured round the principal stems ; the 
overhanging branches, not yet struck down, cover a much lar 
ger space ; and under it grow a number of custard-apple and 
other fruit trees. The large trunks of this single tree amount 
to three hundred and fifty ; and the smaller ones exceed three 
thousand ; every one of these is constantly sending forth bran- 
ches and hanging roots, to form other trunks, and become the 
parents of a future progeny. The Cubbeer Burr is famed 
throughout Hindostan, not only on account of its great extent, 
but also of its surpassing beauty. The Indian armies general 
ly encamp around it; and at stated seasons, solemn Jatarras, 
or Hindoo festivals, to which thousands of votaries repair, from 
every part of the Mogul empire, are there celebrated. It is 
said that seven thousand persons find ample room to repose 
under its shade. It has long been the custom of the British 
residents in India, on their hunting and shooting parties, to 
form extensive encampments, and spend weeks together, un- 
der this delightful and magnificent pavilion, which affords a 
shelter to all travellers, particularly to the religious tribes of 
the Hindoos. It is generally filled with greenwood pigeons, 
doves, peacocks, and a variety of feathered songsters — with 
monkeys which both divert the spectator, by their antic tricks, 
and interest him by the paternal affection they display to their 
young offspring, in teaching them to select their food, and to 
exert themselves in jumping from bough to bough, — and is 
shaded by bats of a large size, many of them measuring up- 
wards of six feet, from the extremity of one wing to the other. 
This tree affords not only shelter, but sustenance, to all its in- 
habitants, being covered amid its bright foliage, with small figs, 
of a rich scarlet, on which they all regale with as much delight 
as the lords of creation on their more costly fare, in their par- 
ties of pleasure." — See Encyclopaedia Britannica, Art. Ficus. 

This tree, which is doubtless, one of the most singular and 
magnificent objects in the vegetable kingdom, appears to be a 
world in miniature, in which thousands both of human beings, 



NATURAL HISTORY. 127 

and of the inferior tribes that traverse the earth and the air, 
may find ample accommodation and subsistence. What a 
striking contrast does it present to the forests of trees, or 
mushrooms, which are perceived by the help of the microscope, 
in a piece of mouldiness — every plant of which is several hun- 
dreds of times smaller than the point of a fine needle ! Yet both 
are the effects of the agency of the same All- wise and Omni- 
potent Being. And what an immense variety of gradations 
is to be found in the vegetable world, between these two ex- 
tremes — every part of the vast interval being filled up with 
flowers, herbs, shrubs, and trees of every color, form, and 
size, and in such vast multitudes and profusion that no man 
can number them ! 

An object, which approximates in a certain degree to the 
one now described, is mentioned in " Staunton's Account of 
Macartney's Embassy to China," p. 70. It is called by Bo- 
tanists, Adansonia, and is also known by the name of the 
JMonkey Bread Tree, and was discovered in the island of St. 
Jago. " The circumference, or girth of the base, was 56 feet, 
which soon divided into two vast branches, the one in a per- 
pendicular direction, whose periphery, or girth, was 42 feet, 
the other 26. Another, of the same species, stood near it, 
whose single trunk, girthing only 38 feet, was scarcely noti- 
ced." 

The only other specimen I shall exhibit to the reader has 
a relation both to the animal and to the vegetable kingdom. 
It is well known that the examination of flowers, and vegeta- 
bles of every description, by the microscope, opens a new and 
interesting field of wonders to the inquiring naturalist. Sir 
John Hill has given the following curious account of what ap- 
peared on his examining a carnation : 

" The principal flower in an elegant bouquet was a carna- 
tion : the fragrance of this led me to enjoy it frequently and 
near. The sense of smelling was not the only one affected 
on these occasions : while that was satiated with the powerful 
sweet, the ear was constantly attacked by an extremely soft, 
but agreeable murmuring sound. It was easy to know that 
some animal within the covert must be the musician, and that 
the little noise must come from some little creature, suited to 
produce it. I instantly distended the lower part of the flower, 
and placing it in a full light, could discover troops of little in- 
sects frisking, with wild jollity, among the narrow pedestals 
that supported its leaves, and the little threads that occupied 
its centre. What a fragrant world for their habitation ! What a 
perfect security from all annoyance, in the dusky husk that 



128 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

surrounded the scene of action ! Adapting a microscope to 
take in, at one view, the whole base of the flower, I gave my- 
self an opportunity of contemplating what they were about, 
and this for many days together, without giving them the least 
disturbance. Thus, I could discover their economy, their 
passions, and their enjoyments. The microscope, on this oc- 
casion, had given what nature seemed to have denied to the 
objects of contemplation. The base of the flower extended 
itself under its influence, to a vast plain ; the slender stems of 
the leaves became trunks of so many stately cedars ; the 
threads in the middle seemed columns of massy structure, sup- 
porting at the top their several ornaments ; and the narrow 
spaces between were enlarged in walks, parterres, and terra- 
ces. On the polished bottoms of these, brighter than Parian 
marble, walked in pairs, alone, or in larger companies, the 
winged inhabitants : these, from little dusky flies, for such only 
the naked eye would have shown them, were raised to glo- 
rious glittering animals, stained with living purple, and with a 
glossy gold, that would have made all the labors of the loom 
contemptible in the comparison. — I could, at leisure, as they 
walked together, admire their elegant limbs, their velvet shoul- 
ders, and their silken wings ; their backs vying with the em- 
pyrean in its blue ; and their eyes, each formed of a thousand 
others, out-glittering the little planes on a brilliant ; above de- 
scription, and too great almost for admiration. I could observe 
them here singling out their favorite females ; courting them 
with the music of their buzzing wings, with little songs, formed 
for their little organs, leading them from walk to walk, among 
the perfumed shades, and pointing out to their taste, the drop 
of liquid nectar, just bursting from some vein within the living 
trunk — here were the perfumed groves, the more than mystic 
shades of the poet's fancy realized. Here the happy lovers 
spent their days in joyful dalliance, or in the triumph of their 
little hearts, skipped after one another, from stem to stem, 
among the painted trees, or winged their short flight to the 
close shadow of some broader leaf, to revel undisturbed in the 
heights of all felicity." 

This picture of the splendor and felicity of insect life, may, 
to certain readers, appear somewhat overcharged. But those 
who have been much in the habit of contemplating the beau- 
ties of the animal and vegetable world, through microscopes, 
can easily enter into all the views which are here described. 
I have selected this example, for the purpose of illustrating the 
unbounded goodness of the Creator, in the vast profusion of 
enjoyment he has communicated, even to the lowest tribes of 



NATURAL HISTORY. 129 

animal existence, and as a specimen of those invisible worlds 
which exist beyond the range of our natural vision. For it 
appears that there is a gradation of worlds downwards, as well 
as upwards. However small our globe may appear when com- 
pared with the sun, and with the immensity of starry systems 
which lie dispersed through the infinity of space, there are 
worlds filled with myriads of living beings, which, in point of 
size and extent, bear as small a proportion to the earth, as the 
earth bears to the vast assemblage of the celestial worlds. A 
single flower, a leaf, or a drop of water may appear as large 
and as diversified in its structure, to some of the beings which 
inhabit it, as the whole earth appears to the view of man ; and 
a thousand scenes of magnificence and beauty may be presen- 
ted to their sight, of which no distinct conception can be 
formed by the human mind. The many thousands of trans- 
parent globes, of which their eyes are composed, may magnify 
and multiply the objects around them without end, so that an 
object scarcely visible to the eye of man, may appear to them 
as a vast extended universe. 

" Having examined," says St. Pierre, " one day, by a mi- 
croscope, the flowers of thyme, I distinguished in them, with 
equal surprise and delight, superb flagons with a long neck, 
of a substance resembling the amethyst, from the gullets of 
which seemed to flow ingots of liquid gold. I have never 
made observations of the corolla, simply of the smallest 
flower, without finding it composed of an admirable substance, 
half transparent, studded with brilliants, and shining in the 
most lively colors. The beings which live under a reflex thus 
enriched, must have ideas very different from ours, of light, 
and of the other phenomena of nature. A drop of dew, fil- 
tering in the capillary and transparent tubes of a plant, pre- 
sents to them thousands of cascades ; the same drop fixed as 
a wave on the extremity of one of its prickles, an ocean with- 
out a shore ; evaporated into air, a vast aerial sea. — It is cre- 
dible, then, from analogy, that there are animals feeding on 
the leaves of plants like the cattle in our meadows, and on 
our mountains, which repose under the shades of a down im- 
perceptible to the naked eye, and which, from goblets formed 
like so many suns, quaff nectar of the color of gold and 
silver." 

Thus it appears, that the universe extends to infinity on 
either hand ; and that whenever matter exists, from the pon- 
derous globes of heaven down to the invisible atom, there the 
Almighty Creator has prepared habitations for countless or- 
ders of existence, from the seraph to the animalcuia, in order 

11* 



130 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

to demonstrate his boundless beneficence, and the infinite va- 
riety of modes by which he can diffuse happiness through the 
universal system. 

" How sweet to muse upon His skill displayed J 

Infinite skill ! in all that he has made ; 

To trace in nature's most minute design 

The signature and stamp of Power Divine ; 

Contrivance exquisite, expressed with ease, 

Where unassisted sight no beauty sees ; 

The shapely limb and lubricated joint, 

Within the small dimensions of a point ; 

Muscle and nerve miraculously spun, 

His mighty work who speaks, and it is done 

Th' invisible in things scarce seen revealed ; 

To whom an atom is an ample field !" — Cowper's Retirement. 

With regard to the religious tendency of the study of Na" 
tural History, it may be remarked — that, as all the objects 
which it embraces are the ivorkmanship of God — the deline- 
ations and descriptions of the Natural Historian, must be con- 
sidered as " The history of the operations of the Creator ;" 
or, in other words, so far as the science extends, " The his- 
tory of the Creator himself:" for the marks of his incessant 
agency, his power, wisdom and beneficence are impressed 
on every object, however minute, throughout the three king- 
doms of nature, and throughout every region of earth, air, 
and sky. As the Deity is invisible to mortal eyes, and can- 
not be directly contemplated by finite minds, without some 
material medium of communication — there are but two me- 
diums with which we are acquainted, by which we can attain 
a knowledge of his nature and perfections. These are, either 
the facts which have occurred in the course of his providen- 
tial dispensations towards our race, since the commencement 
of time, and the moral truths connected with them — or, the 
facts which are displayed in the economy of nature. The 
first class of facts is recorded in the Sacred History, and in 
the Annals of Nations ; the second class is exhibited in the 
diversified objects and motions which appear throughout the 
system of the visible universe. The one may be termed the 
.Moral History, and the other, the Natural History of the 
operations of the Creator. It is obviously incumbent on every 
rational being, to contemplate the Creator through both these 
mediums ; for each of them conveys its distinct and peculiar 
revelations ; and, consequently, our perception of Deity through 
the one medium, does not supersede the necessity of our con- 
templating him through the other. While, therefore, it is our 
duty to contemplate the perfections, the providence, and the 
agency of God, as displayed in the Scripture Revelation* it is 



NATURAL HISTORY. 131 

also incumbent upon us, to trace his attributes in the System 
of Nature, in order that we may be enabled to contemplate 
the eternal Jehovah, in every variety of aspect, in which he 
has been pleased to exhibit himself, in the universe he has 
formed. 

The visible creation may be considered as a permanent and 
sensible manifestation of Deity ; intended every moment to 
present to our view, the unceasing energies of Him " in whom 
we live and move," And if the train of our thoughts were 
directed in its proper channel, we would perceive God in every 
object, and in every movement : we would behold him oper- 
ating in the whirlwind, and in the storm ; in the subterraneous 
cavern, and in the depths of the ocean ; in the gentle rain, 
and the refreshing breeze ; in the rainbow, the fiery meteor, 
and the lightning's flash ; in the splendors of the sun, and the 
majestic movements of the heavens ; in the frisking of the 
lambs, the songs of birds, and the buzz of insects ; in the 
circulation of our blood, the movements of our joints, the mo- 
tion of our eyeballs, and in the rays of light which are conti- 
nually darting from surrounding objects, for the purposes of 
vision. For these, and ten thousand other agencies in the 
systems of nature, are nothing else but the voice of Deity, 
proclaiming to the sons of men, in silent but emphatic lan- 
guage, " Stand still, and consider the wonderful works of 
God." 

If, then, it be admitted, that the study of Nature is the study 
of the Creator — to overlook the grand and beautiful scenery 
with which we are surrounded, or to undervalue any thing 
which Infinite Wisdom has formed, is to overlook and con- 
temn the Creator himself. Whatever God has thought pro- 
per to create, and to present to our view in the visible world, 
it becomes man to study and contemplate, that, from thence, 
he may derive motives to excite him to the exercise of rever- 
ence and adoration, of gratitude and praise. In so far as any 
individual is unacquainted with the various facts of the his- 
tory of nature, in so far does he remain ignorant of the mani- 
festations of Deity ; for every object, on the theatre of the 
universe, exhibits his character and designs in a different point 
of view. He who sees God only as he displays himself in his 
operations on the earth, but has never contemplated the firma- 
ment with the eye of reason, must be unacquainted with those 
amazing energies of eternal Power, which are displayed in 
the stupendous fabric and movements of the orbs of heaven. 
He who sees God only in the general appearances of nature, 
but neglects to penetrate into his minute operations, must re* 



132 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

main ignorant of those astonishing manifestations of Divine 
wisdom and skill which appear in the contrivances, adapta- 
tions, and functions of the animal and the vegetable king- 
doms. For, the more we know of the work, the more ac- 
curate and comprehensive will be our views of the Intelligence 
by whom it was designed ; and the farther we carry our inves- 
tigations of the works of God, the more admirable and asto- 
nishing will his plans and perfections appear. 

In short, a devout contemplation of the works of nature tends 
to ennoble the human soul, and to dignify and exalt the affec- 
tions. It inspires the mind with a relish of the beauty, the 
harmony, and order which subsist in the universe around us — 
it elevates the soul to the love and admiration of that Being 
who is the author of our comforts, and of all that is sublime and 
benificent in creation, and excites us to joint with all holy 
beings in the chorus of praise to the God and Father of all. 
For they 

"Whom .Nature's works can charm, with God himself 
Hold converse, grow familiar day by day 
With his conceptions, act upon his plan, 
And form to his the relish of their souls." 

The man who surveys the vast field of nature, witn the eye 
of reason and devotion, will not only gain a more comprehen- 
sive view of that illimitable power which organized the uni- 
verse, but will find his sources of enjoyment continually in- 
creased, and will feel an ardent desire after that glorious world, 
where the veil which now hides from our sight some of the 
grandest manifestations of Deity will be withdrawn, and the 
wonders of Omnipotence be displayed in all their splendor and 
perfection. 

In conformity with these sentiments, we find the inspired 
writers, in numerous instances, calling our attention to the 
wonders of creating power and wisdom. In one of the first 
speeches in which the Almighty is introduced as addressing 
the sons of men, and the longest one in the Bible,* our atten- 
tion is exclusively directed to the subjects of Natural History ; 
— the whole address having a reference to the economy of 
Divine Wisdom in the arrangement of the world at its first 
creation — the wonders of the ocean, and of light and darkness 
— the phenomena of thunder and lightning, rain, hail, snow, 
frost, and other meteors in the atmosphere — the intellectual 
faculties of man, and the economy and instincts of quadrupeds, 
birds, fishes, and other tribes of animated existence. Indeed, 

* Job, chap, xxxviii. xxxix. xl. xli. 



NATURAL HISTORY, 133 

the greater part of the sublime descriptions contained in the 
book of Job has a direct reference to the agency of God in 
the material creation, and to the course of his providence in 
relation to the different characters of men; and the reasonings 
of the different speakers in that sacred drama proceed on the 
supposition that their auditors were intimately acquainted with 
the varied appearances of nature, and their tendency to exhibit 
the character and perfections of the Omnipotent Creator. — 
We find the Psalmist, in the 104th Psalm, employed in a de- 
vout description of similar objects, from the contemplation of 
which his mind is raised to adoring views of their Almighty 
Author — and, from the whole of his survey, he deduces the 
following conclusions : — " How manifold are thy works, 
Lord ! In wisdom thou hast made them all ! The earth is full 
of thy riches ; so is this great and wide sea, wherein are things 
creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. The 
Glory of the Lord shall endure for ever ; the Lord shall 
rejoice. in all his works.* I will sing unto the Lord as long 
as I live ; I will sing praises to my God, while I have my 
being." 

But in order to enter into the spirit of such sublime reflec- 
tions, we must not content ourselves with a superficial and 
cursory view of the objects and operations of nature, — we 
must not think it sufficient to acquiesce in such vague propo- 
sitions as these — " The glory of God is seen in every blade of 
grass, and every drop of water ; all nature is full of wonders, 
from the dust of the earth to the stars of the firmament." We 
must study the works of creation with ardor, survey them with 
minute attention, aud endeavour to acquire a specific and com- 
prthensive knowledge of the Creator's designs. We must 
endeavour to acquire a knowledge of the particular modes, 
circumstances, contexture, configurations, adaptations, struc- 
ture, functions, and relations of those objects in which bene- 
volence and design conspicuously appear — in the animal and 
the vegetable world, in the ocean, the atmosphere, and the hea- 

* The glory of the Lord in this passage, denotes the display of his per- 
fections in the material universe : and the declaration of the inspired wri- 
ter plainly intimates, that this display will continue forever, and will re- 
main as an object of unceasing contemplation to all intelligences, and as an 
eternal monument of his Power and Wisdom. For, although the earth 
and the aerial heavens will be changed at the close of that dispensation of 
Providence which respects our world, yet the general frame of the \mu 
verse, in its other parts, will remain substantially the same ; and not only 
so, but will in all probability be perpetually increasing in magnitude and 
grandeur. And the change which will be effected in respect to the terra- 
queous globe and its appendages will be such, that Jehovah will have rea* 
Boii to i; rejoice" in this, as well as in all his other works. 



134 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

vens ; that the mind may be enabled to draw the conclusion 
with full conviction and intelligence — " In wisdom thou hast 
made them all." The pointed interrogatories which Jehovah 
addressed to Job, evidently imply, that Job had previously ac- 
quired an intimate acquaintance with the works of nature. It 
seems to be taken for granted, as a matter of course, that he 
made himself acquainted with the general range of facts in the 
visible creation ; and the intention of the several questions 
presented to his consideration evidently was to impress him 
with a sense of his own impotency, and to lead him to the in- 
vestigation of the wonders of Creating Power which he had 
formerly overlooked. — The conclusion which the Psalmist 
draws respecting the Wisdom displayed throughout all the 
works of God, plainly intimates, that he had made the different 
parts of nature the subject of minute examination, and of deep 
reflection ; otherwise he could not have rationally deduced his 
conclusion, or felt those emotions which filled his mind with 
the pious rapture so beautifully expressed in that hymn of praise 
to the Creator of the world. 

We have, therefore, reason to believe, from these and other 
instances, that pious men, " in the days of old," were much 
more accustomed than modern Christians to contemplate and 
admire the visible works of the Lord — and it is surely much 
to be regretted, that we who enjoy so many superior means of 
information, and who have access to the brilliant discoveries 
of later and more enlightened times, should manifest so much 
disregard to " the works of Jehovah and the operations of his 
hands." To enable the common mass of Christians to enter 
into the spirit of this delightful study and Christian duty, 
should, therefore, be one object of those periodical and other 
religious works which are put into their hands ; so that they 
may be enabled, with vigor and intelligence, to form the pious 
resolution of Asaph, " I will meditate on all thy works, O 
Lord ! and talk of thy doings." " I will utter abundantly the 
memory of thy great goodness, and tell of thy wondrous 
works."* 

GEOGRAPHY. 

The next department of knowledge I shall notice is the 
science of Geography. 

The object of this science is, to describe the world we 

* A select list of popular works on Natural History, and the other 
sciences, noticed in the following sketches, will be found in the Ap- 
pendix. 



GEOGRAPHY. 135 

inhabit, in reference to the continents, islands, mountains, 
oceans, seas, rivers, empires, and kingdoms with which it is 
diversified, together with the manners, customs, and religion 
of the different tribes which people its surface. 

In order to form an accurate conception of the relative posi- 
tions of objects on the surface of the earth, and to enter with 
intelligence on the study of this subject, it is requisite, first of 
all, to have an accurate idea of its figure and magnitude. For 
a long series of ages it was supposed by the bulk of man- 
kind, that the surface of the earth was nearly a plane, indefi- 
nitely extended, and bounded on all sides by the sky. Lac- 
tantius, and several of the fathers of the Christian church, 
strenuously argued that the earth was extended infinitely down- 
wards, and established upon several foundations. The an- 
cient philosopher Heraclitus is said to have believed that the 
earth was of the shape of a skiff or canoe, very much hol- 
lowed ; and the philosopher Leucippus supposed it to be of 
the form of a cylinder or a drum. It is only within the period 
of the last three hundred years that the true figure of the 
earth has been accurately ascertained. This figure is now 
found to be that of an oblate spheroid, nearly approaching to 
the shape of a globe or sphere. — To have asserted this opin- 
ion several ages ago would. have been considered as a heresy 
in religion, and would have subjected its abettors to the ana- 
themas of the church, and even to the peril of their lives. — 
Historians inform us that the learned Spigelius, bishop of Up- 
sal, in Sweden, suffered martydom at the stake, in defence of 
the doctrine of the Antipodes ; and we know that, for assert- 
ing the motion of the earth, the celebrated philosopher Gali- 
leo was immured in a dungeon, and condemned by an assem- 
bly of Cardinals to all the horrors of perpetual imprisonment. 
The doctrine he maintained, and which is now universally re- 
ceived by every one acquainted with the subject, was declared 
by those arrogant ecclesiastics to be " a proposition absurd 
in its very nature, false in philosophy, heretical in religion, and 
contrary to the Holy Scriptures." Such are some of the hor- 
rible and pernicious consequences which flow from ignorance 
of the phenomena of nature, and of those laws by which the 
Almighty governs the universe he has formed ; and which 
prove it to be a Christian duty for every rational being to study 
he order and economy of the visible world. 

That the earth is nearly of a globular figure, is proved by 
the following considerations : 1. When we stand on the sea 
shore, while the sea is perfectly calm, we perceive that the 
surface of the water is not quite plain, but convex or rounded; 



136 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

and if we are on one side of an arm of the sea, as the Frith 
of Forth, and, with your eyes near the water, look towards 
the opposite coast, we shall plainly see the water elevated be- 
tween our eyes and the opposite shore, so as to prevent our 
seeing the land near the edge of the water. The same expe- 
riment may be made on any portion of still water, of a mile 
or two in extent, when its convexity will be perceived by the 
eye. A little boat, for instance, may be perceived by a man 
who is any height above the water, but if he stoops down, and 
lays his eye near the surface, he will find that the fluid appears 
to rise, and intercept the view of the boat. 2. If we take our 
station on the sea-shore, and view the ships leaving the coast, 
in any direction — as they retire from our view, we may perceive 
the masts and rigging of the vessels when the hulls are out of 
sight, and, as it were, sunk in the water. On the other hand, 
when a ship is approaching the shore, the first part of her that 
is seen is the topmast ; as she approaches nearer, the sails 
become visible, and, last of all, the hull comes gradually into 
view.* The reason of such appearances obviously is that the 
round or convex surface of the water interposes between our 
eye and the body of the ship, when she has reached a certain 
distance, while, at the same time, the sails and topmast, from 
their greater elevation, may be still in view. To the same 
cause it is owing, that the higher the eye is placed, the more 
extensive is the prospect ; and hence it is common for sailors 
to climb to the tops of masts, in order to discover land or ships 
at a distance. The contrary of all this would take place, if 
the earth and waters were an extended plane. When a ship 
came within view, the hull would first make its appearance, 
being the largest object, next the sails, and, last of all, the top- 
mast. ThSse considerations, which hold true in all parts of 
the world, prove to a certainty, that the mass of the ocean is 
of a globular form ; and if the ocean be a portion of a sphere 
it follows that the land also is of the same general figure ; for 
no portion of the earth's surface is elevated above four or five 
miles above the level of the ocean. 3. That the earth is 
round from north to south, appears from the following circum- 
stance : — When we travel a considerable distance from north 
to south, or from south to north, a number of new stars suc- 
cessively appear in the heavens, in the quarter to which we are 
advancing, and many of those in the opposite quarter gradually 

* In order to make such observation to advantage, the observer's eye 
should be, as near as possible, on a level with the sea, and he should use a 
telescope to enable him to perceive more distinctly the upper part of the 
vessel. 



GEOGRAPHY. 137 

disappear, which would not happen if the earth were a plane 
in that direction. 4. That the earth is round, from east to 
west, appears from actual experiment ; for many navigators, 
by sailing in a westerly direction, have gone quite round it, 
from east to west ; and, were it not for the frozen seas within 
the polar regions which interrupt navigation in those direc- 
tions, it would, long ere now, have been circumnavigated from 
north to south. 5. All those proofs are confirmed and illus- 
trated by eclipses of the moon, which present an ocular de- 
monstration of the earth's rotundity. An eclipse of the moon 
is caused by the intervention of the body of the earth between 
the sun and the moon ; in which case, the shadow of the 
earth falls upon the moon. This shadow is found in all cases, 
and in every position of the earth, to be of a circular figure : 
which incontrovertibly proves, that the whole mass of land 
and water, of which the earth is composed, is nearly of a glo- 
bular form. The mountains and vales which diversify its sur- 
face detract little or nothing from its globular shape ; for they 
bear no more proportion to its whole bulk than a few grains of 
sand to a common terrestrial globe ; the highest mountains on 
its surface being little? more than the two thousandth part of 
its diameter. Some of the mountains on the surface of the 
moon are higher than those on the earth, and yet that body ap- 
pears both to the naked eye, and through telescopes, of a 
spherical figure. 

To some readers, the discovery of the true figure of the 
earth may appear as a matter of very trivial importance in re- 
ligion. I hesitate not, however, to affirm that it constitutes a 
most important fact in the history of Divine Providence. Had 
not this discovery been made, it is probable, that the vast con- 
tinent of America might yet have remained undiscovered ; for 
Columbus, who first discovered that new world, had learned, 
contrary to the general opinion of the times, that the earth 
was of a spherical figure ; and, from the maps then existing, 
be began to conjecture, that the nearest way of sailing to the 
East Indies, would be to sail westward. And although he 
missed the object of his research, he w r as the means of laying 
open to view a vast and unknown region of the earth, des- 
tined, in due time, to receive from the Eastern world, the 
blessings of knowledge, civilization, and religion.- On the 
knowledge of the spherical figure of the earth, the art of navi^ 
gation, in a great measure depends ; and all the voyages of 
discovery, which have been made in later years, were underr 
taken in consequence of the knowledge of this fact. Had 
mankind remained unacquainted with this discovery, the cir* 

12 



138 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

cumnavigation of the globe would never have been attempted 
— vast portions of the habitable world would have remained 
unknown and unexplored — no regular intercourse would have 
been maintained between the various tribes of the human race, 
and, consequently, the blessings of Divine Revelation could 
never have been communicated to the greater part of the Gen- 
tile world. Besides, the knowledge of the true figure and 
magnitude of our sublunary world forms the ground-work of 
all the sublime discoveries which have hitherto been made in 
the regions of the firmament. For its diameter forms the 
base line of those triangles by which the distances and magni- 
tudes of the celestial globes have been determined ; without a 
knowledge of the extent of which, the important results which 
have been deduced respecting the system of the universe, 
could not have been ascertained, and, consequently, our views 
of the grandeur and omnipotence of the Deity, and of the mag- 
nificence and extent of his dominions, must have been much 
more circumscribed than they now are. Such is the intimate 
connection that subsists between every part of the chain of 
Divine dispensations, that if any one link had been either bro- 
ken or dissolved, the state of things, in the moral and intellec- 
tual world, would have been very different from what it now 
is ; and the plans of Providence, for accomplishing the renova- 
tion and improvement of mankind, would have been either par- 
tially or totally frustrated. 

With regard to the magnitude of the earth — I have already 
stated the mode by which we may acquire the most accurate 
and comprehensive conception of this particular, in the course 
of the illustrations which were given of the Omnipotence of 
Deity, (pp. 34 — 38.) It is necessary here only to remark — 
that, according to the latest computations, the diameter of the 
earth is about 7,930 miles, and its circumference 24,912 miles ; 
and, consequently, the whole surface of the land and water it 
contains, comprehends an area of 197,552,160 miles. The 
proportion of land and water on its surface cannot be very ac- 
curately ascertained ; but it is quite evident, from an inspec- 
tion of a map of the world, that the water occupies at least 
two-thirds of its surface, and, of course, the land cannot oc- 
cupy more than one-third. Supposing it to be only one-fourth 
of the earth's surface, it will contain 49, 3S7,040 square miles, 
which is considerably more than what is stated in most of our 
late systems of Geography; in some of which the extent of 
the land is rated at 39 millions, and in others, so low as 30 
millions of square miles — the former of which statements be- 
ing less than one-fifth, and the latter less than one-sixth of 



GEOGRAPHY 139 

the surface of the globe. But, it is quite obvious that the ex- 
tent of the land cannot be less than one-fourth of the area of 
the globe, and must, therefore, comprehend at least 50 millions 
of square miles. And if a large Arctic contin nt, eleven hun- 
dred leagues in length, exist around the North Pole, as some 
French philosophers infer, from Captain Parry's late discove- 
ries* — the quantity of land on the terraqueous globe will be 
much greater than what has been now stated. 

General Divisions of the Earth. — The surface of 
the earth is divided, from north to south, by two bands of 
earth, and two of water. The first band of earth is the an- 
cient or Eastern Continent, comprehending Europe, Asia, and 
Africa ; the greatest length of which is found to be in a line 
beginning on the east point of the northern part of Tartary, 
and extending from thence to the Cape of Good Hope, which 
measures about 10,000 miles, in a direction nearly from 
North-east to South-west ; but if measured according to the 
meridians, or from north to south, it extends only 7,500 miles, 
from the northernmost cape in Lapland to the Cape of Good 
Hope. This vast body of land contains about 36 millions of 
square miles, forming nearly one-fifth of the whole surface of 
the globe. The other band of earth is, what is commonly 
called the New Continent, which comprehends North and 
South America. Its greatest length lies in a line beginning 
at the mouth of the river Plata, passing through the island of 
Jamaica, and terminating beyond Hudson's Bay ; and it 
measures about 8,000 miles. This body of land contains 
about 14 millions of square miles, or somewhat more than a 
third of the old continent. 

It may not be improper here to remark, that the two lines 
now mentioned, which measure the greatest lengths of the 
two continents, divide them into two equal parts, so that an 
equal portion of land lies on each side of these lines, and that 
each of these lines has an inclination of about 30 degrees to 
the equator, but in opposite directions ; that of the old conti- 
nent extending from the north-east to the south-west ; and 
that of the new continent, from the north-west to the south- 
east; and that they both terminate at the same degree of 
northern and southern latitude. It may also be noticed, that 
the old and new continents are almost opposite to each other, 
and that the old is more extensive to the north of the equator, 
and the new more extensive to the south. The centre of the 
old continent is in the 17th degree of north latitude, and the 

* See Monthlv Magazine, April, 1823, p. 259. 



140 . THE CHRISTIAIS PHILOSOPHER. 

centre of the new, in the 17th degree of south latitude ; so 
that they seem to be made to counterbalance each other, 
in order to preserve the equability of the diurnal rotation of 
the earth. There is also a singular connection between the 
two continents, namely, that if they were divided into two 
parts, all four would be surrounded by the sea, were it not for 
the two small necks of land called the isthmuses of Suez and 
Panama.* 

Between the two continents now mentioned, lie two im- 
mense bands of water, termed the Pacific and the Atlantic 
oceans, whose greatest length is likewise in a direction from 
north to south. 

Besides the two bands of earth to which I have adverted, 
many extensive portions of land are dispersed through the 
ocean, which covers the remaining part of the earth's surface ; 
particularly the extensive regions of New Holland, which 
occupy a space nearly as large as the whole of Europe, and 
the Arctic continent, which probably exist within the Northern 
Polar regions, and which some French writers propose to 
designate by the name of Boreasia, is in all probability, ol 
equal extent. There are also the extensive islands of New 
Guinea, Borneo, Madagascar, Sumatra, Japan, Great Britain, 
New Zealand, Ceylon, Iceland, Cuba, Java, and thousands of 
others, of different dimensions, scattered through the Pacific, 
the Indian, and the Atlantic oceans, and which form a very 
considerable portion of the habitable regions of the globe. 

General Features of the Earth's Surface. — In 
taking a general survey of the external features of the earth, 
the most prominent objects that strike the eye are those huge 
elevations which rise above the level of its general surface, 
termed Hills and Mountains. These are distributed in 
various forms and sizes, through every portion of the conti- 
nents and islands ; and running into immense chains, form a 
sort of connecting band to the other portion of the earth's sur- 
face. The largest mountains are generally formed into im- 
mense chains, which extend, in nearly the same direction, for 
several hundreds, and even thousands of miles. It has been 
observed by some philosophers, that the most lofty mountains 
form two immense ridges, or belts, which, with some inter- 
ruptions, extend around the whole globe, in nearly the same 
direction. One of these ridges lies between the 45th and 55th 
degree of North latitude. Beginning on the western shores 
of France and Spain, it extends eastward, including the Alps 

* See Button's Natural History, vol. 1. 



GEOGRAPHY. 141 

and the Pyrenees, in Europe, the Uralian and Altaic moun- 
tains, in Asia — extending from thence to the shores of Kams- 
chatka, and, after a short interruption from the sea, they rise 
again on the western coast of America, and terminate at 
Canada, near the eastern shore. It is supposed that the chain 
is continued completely round the globe, through the space 
that is covered by the Atlantic ocean, and that the Azores, 
and other islands in that direction, are the only summits that 
are visible, till we come to the British isles. The other ridge 
runs along the Southern hemisphere, between the 50th and 
30th degrees of South latitude, of which detached portions are 
found in the mountains of Tucuman, and of Paraguay, in 
South America, — of Monomotpa and CafTraria, in Africa ; in 
New Holland, New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, the Friend- 
ly, the Society, and other islands in the Pacific ocean. From 
these ridges flows a variety of ramifications, in both hemi- 
spheres, towards the Equator, and the Poles, which altogether 
present a magnificent scenery, which diversifies and enlivens 
the surface of our globe. 

The highest mountains in the world, according to some late 
accounts published in the " Transactions of the Asiatic Socie- 
ty," are the Himalaya chain, north of Bengal, on the borders 
of Thibet. The highest mountain in this range is stated to be 
about 27,000 feet, or a little more than five miles in a per- 
pendicular height, and is visible at the distance of 230 miles. 
Nineteen different mountains in this chain are stated to be 
above four miles in perpendicular elevation. Next to the 
Himalayas, are the Andes, in South America, which extend 
more than 4000 miles in length, from the province of Quito 
to the straits of Magellan. The highest summit of the Andes, 
is Chimborazo, which is said to be 20,600 feet, or nearly 
four miles, above the level of the sea. The highest mountains 
in "Europe, are the Alps, which run through Switzerland and 
the north of Italy, — the Pyrenees, which separate France from 
Spain, and the Dofrafeld, which divide Norway from Sweden. 
The most elevated ridges in Asia, are Mount Taurus, Imaus, 
Caucasus, Ararat, the Uralian, Altaian, and the mountains of 
Japan — in Africa, Mount Atlas, and the mountains of the Moon. 
Some of the mountains in these ranges, are found to contain im- 
mense caverns or perforations, of more than two miles in cir- 
cumference, reaching from their summits to an immeasurable 
depth into the bowels of the earth. From these dreadful open- 
ings are frequently thrown up, to an immense height, torrents 
of fire and smoke, rivers of melted metals, clouds of ashes, and 
cinders, and sometimes red-hot stones and enormous rocks, to 

12* 



142 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the distance of several miles, accompanied with thunders f light- 
nings, darkness, and horrid subterraneous sounds— producing 
the most terrible devastations through all the surrounding dis- 
tricts. The most noted mountains of this kind in Europe, 
are mount Hecla, in Iceland ; Etna, in Sicily ; and Yesuvius, 
near the city of Naples, in Italy. Numbers of volcanoes are 
also to be found in South America, in Africa, in the islands of 
the Indian ocean, and in the Empire of Japan.* 

We who live in Great Britain, where the highest mountain 
is little more than three quarters of a mile in perpendicular 
elevation, can form no adequate idea of the magnificence and 
awful sublimity of the mountain scenery in some of the coun- 
tries now mentioned ; especially when the volcano is belching 
forth its flames with a raging noise, and spreading terror and 
desolation around its base. From the tops of the lofty ridges 
of the Andes, the most grand and novel scenes sometimes 
burst upon the eye of the astonished traveller. He beholds 
the upper surface of the clouds far below him, covering the 
subjacent plain, and surrounding, like a vast sea, the foot of 
the mountain ; while the place on which he stands appears 
like an island in the midst of the ocean. He sees the 
lightnings issuing from the clouds, and hears the noise of 
the tempest, and the thunders rolling far beneath his feet, 
while all is serene around him, and the blue vault of heaven 
appears without a cloud. At other times, he contemplates 
the most sublime and extensive prospects — mountains ranged 
around him, covered with eternal snows, and surrounding like 
a vast amphitheatre, the plains below — rivers winding from 
their sources towards the ocean— cataracts dashing headlong 
over tremendous cliffs — enormous rocks detached from then- 
bases, and rolling down the declivity cf the mountains with a 
noise louder than thunder — frightful precipices impending 
over his head — unfathomable caverns yawning from below — 
and the distant volcano sending forth its bellowings, with its 
top enveloped in the fire and smoke. — Those who have stu- 
died nature on a grand scale, have always been struck with ad- 
miration and astonishment at the sublime and awful exhibition 
of wonders which mountainous regions exhibit ; and, perhaps, 
there is no terrestrial scene which presents, at one view, so 
many objects of overpowering magnitude and grandeur, and 
which inspires the mind with so impressive an idea of the 
power of that Almighty Being, who " weigheth the mountains 
in scales, and taketh up the isles as a very little thing." 

* A more particular description of the phenomena of these terrific ob- 
jects will be found in Chap. iv. Sect. 2 



GEOGRAPHY. 143 

The Ocean. — The ocean surrounds the earth on all sides, 
and penetrates into the interior parts of different countries ; 
sometimes by large openings, and frequently by small straits. 
Could the eye take in this immense sheet of waters at one 
view, it would appear the most august object under the whole 
heavens. It occupies a space on the surface of the globe at 
least three times greater than that which is occupied by the 
land ; comprehending an extent of 148 millions of square 
miles. Though the ocean, strickly speaking, is but one im- 
mense body of waters extending in different directions, yet 
different names have been appropriated to different portions of 
its surface. That portion of its waters which rolls between 
the western coast of America and the eastern of Asia, is call- 
ed the Pacific ocean ; and that portion which separates Europe 
and Africa from America, the Atlantic ocean. Other portions 
are termed the Northern, Southern, and Indian oceans. When 
its waters penetrate into the land, they form what are called 
gulfs, and mediterranean seas. But without following it 
through all its windings and divisions, I shall simply state a 
few general facts. 

With regard to the Depth of this body of water, no cer- 
tain conclusions have yet been formed. Beyond a certain 
depth, it has hitherto been found unfathomable. We know, in 
general, that the depth of the sea increases gradually as we 
leave the shore ; but we have reason to believe that this in- 
crease of depth continues only to a certain distance. The 
numerous islands scattered every where through the ocean, 
demonstrate, that the bottom of the waters, so far from uni- 
formly sinking, sometimes rises into lofty mountains. It is 
highly probable, that the depth of the sea is somewhat in pro- 
portion to the elevation of the land ; for there is some reason 
to conclude, that the present bed of the ocean formed the in- 
habited part of the ancient world r previous to the general De- 
luge, and that we are now occupying the bed of the former 
ocean ; and, if so, its greatest depth will exceed four or five 
miles ; for there is no mountain that rises higher above the level 
of the sea. But the sea has never been actually sounded to a 
greater depth than a mile and 66 feet. Along the coast its 
depth has always been found proportioned to the height of the 
shore ; where the coast is high and mountainous, the sea that 
washes it is deep ; but where the coast is low, the water is 
shallow. To calculate the quantity of water it contains, we 
must therefore suppose a medium depth. If we reckon its 
average depth at two miles, it will contain 296 millions of cu- 
bical miles of water. We shall have a more specific idea oi 



144 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

this enormous mass of water, if we consider, that it is suffi- 
cient to cover the whole globe, to the height of more than 
eight thousand feet ; and if this water were reduced to one 
spherical mass, it would form a globe of more than 800 miles 
in diameter. 

With regard to its Bottom — As the sea covers so great a part 
of the globe, we should, no doubt, by exploring its interior re- 
cesses, discover a vast number of interesting objects. So far 
as the bed of the ocean has been explored, it is found to bear 
a great resemblance to the surface of the dry land ; being, 
like it, full of plains, caverns, rocks, and mountains, some of 
which are abrupt and almost perpendicular, while others rise 
with a gentle acclivity, and sometimes tower above the water, 
and form islands. The materials, too, which compose the 
bottom of the sea, are the same which form the basis of the 
dry land. It also resembles the land in another remarkable 
particular ; — many fresh springs, and even rivers, rise out of 
it; an instance of which appears near Goa, on the western 
coast of Hindostan, and in the Mediterranean sea, not far from 
Marseilles. The sea sometimes assumes different colors. 
The materials which compose its bottom, cause it to reflect 
different hues in different places ; and its appearance is also 
affected by the winds and by the sun, while the clouds tha'. 
pass over it communicate all their varied and fleeting colors. 
When the sun shines, it is green ; when he gleams through a 
fog, it is yellow ; near the poles, it is black ; while in the tor- 
rid zone, its color is often brown ; and, on certain occasions, 
it assumes a luminous appearance, as if sparkling with fire. 

The ocean has three kinds of motions. The first is that 
undulation w T hich is produced by the wind, and which is en- 
tirely confined to its surface. It is now ascertained that this 
motion can be destroyed, and its surface rendered smooth by 
throwing oil upon its waves. The second motion is, that con- 
tinual tendency which the whole water in the sea has towards 
the west, which is greater near the equator than towards the 
poles. It begins on the west side of America, where it is 
moderate ; but as the waters advance westward, their motion 
is accelerated ; and, after having traversed the globe, they re- 
turn, and strike with great violence on the eastern shore of 
America. Being stopped by that continent, they rush, with 
impetuosity, into the Gulf of Mexico, thence they proceed 
along the coast of North America, till they come to the south 
side of the great bank of Newfoundland, when they turn off 
and run down through the Western Isles. This motion is most 
probably owing to the diurnal revolution of the earth on its axis, 



GEOGRAPHY. 145 

which is m a direction contrary to the motion of the sea. The 
third motion of the seals the tide, which is a regular swell of 
the ocean every 12| hours. The motion is how ascertained 
to be owing to the attractive influence of the moon, and also 
partly to that of the sun. There is always a flux and reflux at 
the same time, in two parts of the globe, and these are opposite 
to each other ; so that when our Antipodes have high water 
we have the same. When the attractive powers of the sun 
and moon act in the same direction, which happens at the time 
of new and full moon, we have the highest or spring tides ; 
but when their attraction is opposed to each other, which hap- 
pens at the quarters, we have the lowest, or neap tides. 

Such is the ocean, — a most stupendous scene of Omnipo- 
tence, which forms the most magnificent feature of the globe 
we inhabit. When we stand on the sea-shore, and cast our 
eyes over the expanse of its waters, till the sky and the waves 
seem to mingle, all that the eye can take in at one survey, is 
but an inconsiderable speck, less than the hundred thousandth 
part of the whole of this vast abyss. If every drop of water 
can be divided into 26 millions of distinct parts, as some phi- 
losophers have demonstrated,* what an immense assemblage 
of watery particles must be contained in the unfathomable ca- 
verns of the ocean ! Here the powers of calculation are com- 
pletely set at defiance ; and an image of infinity, immensity, 
and endless duration is presented to the mind. This mighty 
expanse of waters is the grand reservoir of nature, and the 
source of evaporation, which enriches the earth with fertility 
and verdure. Every cloud which floats in the atmosphere, 
and every fountain, and rivulet, and flowing stream are indebt- 
ed to this inexhaustible source for those watery treasures 
which they distribute through every region of the land. In 
fine, whether we consider the ocean as rearing its tremendous 
billows in the midst of the tempest, or as stretched out into a 
smooth expanse — whether we consider its immeasurable ex- 
tent, its mighty movements, or the innumerable beings which 
glide through its rolling waves — we cannot but be struck with 
astonishment at the grandeur of that Omnipotent Being who 
holds it waters " in the hollow of his hand," and who has said 
to its foaming surges, " Hitherto shalt thou come, and no far- 
ther, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." 

Rivers. — The next feature of the earth's surface which may 
be noticed, is, the rivers with which it is indented in every 

* The demonstration of this proposition may be seen in Nieuwentyt's 
Rel. Philosopher, vol. iii. p. 85& 



146 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

direction. — These are exceedingly numerous, and seem to form 
as essential a part in the constitution of our globe, as the moun- 
tains from which they flow, and as the ocean to which they di- 
rect their course. It is reckoned, that in the old continent, 
there are about 430 rivers which fall directly into the ocean, 
or into the Mediterranean and the Black seas ; but in the new 
continent, there are only about 145 rivers known, which fall 
directly into the sea. In this enumeration, however, only the 
great rivers are included, such as the Thames, the Danube, 
the Wolga, and the Pthone. Besides these, there are many 
thousands of streams of smaller dimensions, which, rising 
from the mountains, wind in every direction, till they fall into 
the large rivers, or are carried into the ocean. The largest 
rivers in Europe are — the Wolga, which, rising in the northern 
parts of Russia, runs a course of 1700 miles, till it falls into 
the Caspian sea — the Danube, whose course is 1300 miles, 
from the mountains in Switzerland to the Black sea — and the 
Don, which runs a course of 1200 miles. The greatest rivers 
in Asia are — the Hoanho, in China, whose course is 2400 
miles — the Boorhampooter, the Euphrates, and the Ganges. 
The longest river in Africa, is the Nile, the course of which is 
estimated at 2000 miles. In the continent of America, the ri- 
vers appear to be formed on the grandest scale, both as to the 
length of their course, and the vast body of waters which they 
pour into the ocean. The Amazon, the largest river in 
the world, runs a course of above 3000 miles across the 
continent of South America, till it falls into the Atlantic 
ocean, where it discharges a body of waters 150 miles in 
breadth. Next to this is the river St. Lawrence, which is 
more than 2400 miles from its mouth through the lake of 
Ontario to the lake Alempigo and the Assiniboils ; and the 
rivers La Plata and Mississippi, each of whose courses is not 
less than 2000 miles. 

When we consider the number and the magnitude of these 
majestic streams, it is evident that an enormous mass of wa- 
ter is continually pouring into the ocean, from every direction. 
From observations which have been made on the river Po, 
which runs through Lombardy, and waters a tract of land 380 
miles long, and 120 broad, it is found, that it moves at the 
rate of four miles an hour, is 1000 feet broad, and 10 feet in 
depth, and consequently, supplies the sea with 5068 millions 
of cubical feet of water in a day, or a cubical mile in 29 days. 
On the supposition that the quantity of water which the sea re- 
ceives from the great rivers in all countries, is proportional to 
the extent and surface of these countries, it will follow, that the 



GEOGRAPHY. 147 

quantity of waters carried to the sea by all the other rivers on 
the globe, is 1083 times greater than that furnished by the Po, 
(supposing the land, as formerly stated, to contain about 49 
millions of square miles,,) and will supply the ocean with 
13,630 cubical miles of water in a year. Now, reckoning the 
ocean, as formerly, to contain 296 millions of cubical miles of 
water, this last number, divided by the former, will give a quo- 
tient of 21,716. Hence it appears, that, were the ocean com- 
pletely drained of its waters, it would require more than twenty 
thousand years* before its caverns could be again completely 
filled by all the rivers in the world running into it at their pre- 
sent rate. 

Here, two questions will naturally occur — Whence do the 
rivers receive so constant a supply of waters ? and why has 
not the ocean long ago overflowed the world ? since so prodi- 
gious a mass of water is continually flowing into its abyss. 
This was a difficulty which long puzzled philosophers ; but it 
is now satisfactorily solved from a consideration of the effects 
of evaporation. By the heat of the sun the particles of watei 
are drawn up into the atmosphere from the surface of the 
ocean, and float in the air in the form of clouds or vapor. 
These vapors are carried, by the winds, over the surface of the 
land, and are again condensed into water on the tops and the 
sides of mountains, which, gliding down into their crevices and 
caverns, at length break out into springs, a number of which 
meeting in one common valley becomes a river ; and many 
of these united together at length form such streams as the 
Tay, the Thames, the Danube, and the Rhine. That evapo- 
ration is sufficient to account for this effect, has been demon- 
strated by many experiments and calculations. It is found 
that, from the surface of the Mediterranean sea, which con- 
tains 762,000 square miles, there are drawn up into the air, 
every day, by evaporation, 5280 millions of tons of water, 
while the rivers which flow^ into it yield only 1827 millions of 
tons in the same time ; so that there is raised in vapor from 
the Mediterranean nearly three times the quantity of water 
which is poured into it by all its rivers. One third of this falls 
into the sea before it reaches the land ; another part falls on 
the low lands, for the nourishment of plants ; and the other 
third part is quite sufficient to supply the sources of ail the 

* BufFon makes this result to be 812 years, in which he is followed by- 
Goldsmith, and most subsequent writers ; but he proceeds on the false as- 
sumption, that the ocean covers only half the surface of the globe, and that 
it contains only 85 millions of square miles, and he estimates the average 
depth of the ocean to be only 440 yards, or one fourth of a mile. 



148 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

rivers which run into the sea. This is in full conformity to 
what was long ago stated by an inspired Naturalist : " All the 
rivers run into the sea, and yet the sea is not full ; unto the 
place from whence the rivers came, thither do they return 
again," but, before they regain their former place, they make 
a circuit over our heads through the regions of the atmosphere. 

Such are the varied movements and transformations which 
are incessantly going on in the rivers, the ocean, and the at- 
mosphere, in order to preserve the balance of nature, and to 
supply the necessities of the animal and the vegetable tribes ; 
all under the agency and direction of Him who " formed the 
sea and the dry land," and who has arranged all things in num- 
ber, weight, and measure, to subserve the purposes of his will. 

Rivers serve many important purposes in the economy of 
our globe. They carry off the redundant waters which fall in 
rains, or which ooze from the springs, which might otherwise 
settle into stagnant pools : they supply to the seas the loss of 
waters occasioned by their daily evaporation ; they cool the 
air and give it a gentle circulation ; they fertilize the countries 
through which they flow; their waters afford a wholesome 
drink, and the fishes they contain, a delicious food for the nour- 
ishment of man : they facilitate commerce, by conveying the 
productions of nature and art from the inland countries to the 
sea ; they form mechanical powers for driving machinery of 
different kinds ; they enliven and diversify the scenery of the 
countries through which they pass ; and the cataracts which 
they frequently form among the mountains, present us with 
scenes the most picturesque and sublime ; so that every part 
of the constitution of nature is rendered subservient both to 
utility and to pleasure. 

Waving the consideration of other particulars, I shall simply 
state some of the artificial divisions of the earth, and two or 
three facts respecting its inhabitants. 

The land has generally been divided into four parts, Eu- 
rope, Asia, Africa, and America, to which has been lately 
added the division called Australasia, which comprehends 
New Holland, New Guinea, New Zealand, Van Dieman's 
land, and several other islands in the Pacific ocean. Europe 
comprehends the following countries, Norway, Sweden, Den- 
mark, Russia, Prussia, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Italy 
Switzerland, France, Holland, or the Netherlands, Spain, 
Portugal, and Great Britain and Ireland, together with the 
islands of Sicily, Malta, Candia, Corsica, Sardinia, Majorca 
Minorca, Ivica, Zealand, Funen, Gothland, Iceland, and seve 
ral others of smaller note. — Jisia, the largest and most popu 



GEOGRAPHY. 149 

lous division of the ancient continent, contains the Empires of 
China and Japan, Chinese Tartary, Thibet, Hindostan, or 
British India, the Birman Empire, Persia, Arabia, Turkey in 
Asia, Siberia, Independent Tartary, and a variety of territories 
inhabited by tribes with which we are very imperfectly acquaint- 
ed ; together with the immense islands of Borneo, Sumatra, 
Java, Ceylon, Segalien, the Phillippines, and thousands of 
others of smaller dimensions. It was in Asia where the human 
race was first planted ; it became the nursery of the world after 
the universal deluge, and it was the scene in which the most me- 
morable transactions recorded in the sacred history took place. 
But its inhabitants are now immersed in Mahometan and Pa- 
gan darkness ; and the Christian religion, except in a few in- 
sulated spots, is almost unknown among its vast population. 
It is the richest and most fruitful part of the world, and pro- 
duces cotton, silks, spices, tea, coffee, gold, silver, pearls, dia- 
monds and precious stones : but despotism, in its worst forms, 
reigns uncontrolled, over eveiy part of this immense region. 

Africa comprehends the following kingdoms, — Morocco, 
Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt, Zaara, Negroland, Guinea, 
Nubia, Abyssinia, Caffraria, Dahomy, Benin, Congo, Angola, 
and various other territories. By far the greater part of Afri- 
ca remains hitherto unexplored, and, consequently, we are pos- 
sessed of a very slender portion of information respecting the 
numerous tribes that may inhabit it. This quarter of the 
world, which once contained several flourishing kingdoms and 
states, is now reduced to a general state of barbarism. That 
most abominable traffic, the slave trade, is carried on to an 
unlimited extent on its eastern coasts, by a set of European 
ruffians, whose villanies are a disgrace to human nature. Its 
most striking features are those immense deserts, near its 
northern parts, which comprise nearly one third of its surface. 
The deserts of Zaara are 1500 miles long, and 800 broad. 

America is divided into North and South, It remained un- 
known to the inhabitants of the Eastern Hemisphere till the 
year 1492, when it was discovered by Columbus, who first 
landed on Guanahani, or Cat Island, one of the Bahama isles. 
North America comprehends the following countries : The 
United States, New and Old Mexico, Upper and Lower 
Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Labrador. South 
America comprehends the immense districts called Terra Fir- 
ma, Peru, Guiana, Amazonia, Paraguay, Brazil, Chili, and 
Patagonia. — Between N. and S. America lie the islands of 
Cuba, St. Domingo, Jamaica, and Porto Rico, known by the 
laame of the West Indies. Besides these, there are connected 

13 



150 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

with America, the Bahama, and Carribbee islands, Newfound- 
land, Cape Breton, Tobago, Trinidad, Terra del Fuego, &c. 
America is distinguished by its numerous and extensive lakes, 
which resemble large inland seas. Its rivers, also, form one of 
its grand and distinguishing features, being the largest on the 
globe. It is likewise diversified with lofty and extensive 
ranges of mountains. When first discovered it was almost 
wholly covered with immense forests, and thinly peopled with 
a number of savage tribes. Its mingled population of Abori- 
gines and Europeans, is now making rapid advances in know- 
ledge, civilization, and commerce. 

In regard to the human inhabitants that occupy the differ- 
ent regions now specified — they have been divided by some 
geographers into the six following classes — 1. The dwarfish 
inhabitants of the polar regions ; as the Laplanders, the 
Greenlanders, and the Esquimaux. — 2. The flat-nosed olive- 
colored tawny race ; as the Tartars, the Chinese, and the 
Japanese.— 3. The blacks of Asia with European features. 
Of this description are the Hindoos, the Birmans, and the in- 
habitants of the islands in the Indian ocean. — 4. The woolly- 
haired negroes of Africa, distinguished by their black color, 
their flat noses, and their thick lips. — 5. The copper-colored 
native Americans, distinguished likewise by their black hair, 
small black eyes, high cheek bones, and flat noses.— 6. The 
sixth variety is the white European nations, as the British, the 
French, the Italians, and the Germans. 

The number of inhabitants which people the earth at one 
time may be estimated to amount to at least eight hundred 
millions ; of which 500 millions may be assigned to Asia ; 
80 millions to Africa; 70 millions to America; and 150 
millions to Europe. — With regard to their religion, they may 
be estimated as follows : 

Pagans, . . 490,000,000 

Mahometans, . . 130,000,000 

Roman Catholics, . 100,000,000 

Protestants, . . . 43,000,000 

Greeks and Arminians, 30,000,000 

Jews, . 7,000,000 

800,000,000 

From this estimate it appears, that there are more than 4 
Pagans and Mahometans to 1 Christian, and only one Pro- 
testant to 17 of all the other denominations. Although all 
the Roman Catholics, Greeks, and Protestants were reckon- 
ed true Christians, there still remain more than 620 millions 
of our fellow men ignorant of the true God, and of his will a*s 



GEOGRAPHY. 151 

revealed in the Sacred Scriptures ; which shows what a vast 
field of exertion still lies open to Christian benevolence, be- 
fore the blessings of civilization, mental improvement, rational 
liberty, and Christianity be fully communicated to the Pagan 
and Mahometan world. 

If we suppose that the earth, at an average, has always 
been as populous as it is now, and that it contains 800 mil- 
lions of inhabitants, as above stated, and if we reckon 32 
years for a generation, at the end of which period the whole 
human race is renewed ; it will follow, that 145 thousand 
millions of human beings have existed on the earth since the 
present system of our globe commenced, reckoning 5829 
years from Adam to the present time.* And, consequently, 
if mankind had never died, there would have been 182 times 
the present number of the earth's inhabitants now in exist- 
ence. It follows from this statement, that 25 millions of 
mankind die every year, 2853 every hour, and 47 bvery 
minute, and that at least an equal number, during these pe- 
riods, are emerging from non-existence to the stage of life ; 
so that almost every moment, a rational and immortal being 
is ushered into the world, and another is transported to the 
invisible state. Whether, therefore, we contemplate the 
world of matter, or the world of mind, we perceive incessant 
changes and revolutions going on, which are gradually carry- 
ing forward the earth and its inhabitants to some important 
consummation. — If we suppose, that, before the close of time, 
as many human beings will be brought into existence, as have 
already existed, during the by-past ages of the world, there 
will, of course, be found at the general resurrection, 
290,000,000,000 of mankind. Vast as such an assemblage 
would be, the whole of the human beings here supposed, al- 
lowing 6 square feet for every individual, could be assembled 
within the space of 62,400 square miles, or on a tract of land 
not much larger than that of England, which contains, ac- 
cording to the most accurate calculation, above 50,000 square 
miles. 

* This calculation proceeds on the supposition, that only 4004 years 
elapsed between the Mosaic Creation and the birth of Christ, according 
to the Hebrew Chronology. But Dr. Hales, in his late work on Scripture 
Chronology, has proved, almost to a demonstration, that, from the Crea- 
tion to the birth of Christ are to be reckoned 5411 years ; and this com- 
putation nearly agrees with the Samaritan and Septuagint Chronology, 
and with that of Josephus. According to this computation, 7235 years 
are to be reckoned from the Creation to the present time ; and, conse- 
quently, 220 thousand millions of human beings will have existed since 
the Creation, which is more than 226 times the number of inhabitants 
presently existing. 



152 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Our world is capable of sustaining a much greater number 
of inhabitants than has ever yet existed upon it at any one 
time. And since we are informed in the Sacred Oracles, that 
God " created it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited," 
we have reason to believe, that, in future ages, when the phy- 
sical and moral energies of mankind shall be fully exerted, 
and when Peace shall wave her olive branch over the nations, 
the earth will be much more populous than it has ever been, 
and those immense deserts, where ravenous animals now roam 
undisturbed, will be transformed into scenes of fertility and 
beauty. If it be admitted, that the produce of 12 acres of 
land is sufficient to maintain a family consisting of six per- 
sons, and if we reckon only one-fourth of the surface of the 
globe capable of cultivation, it can be proved, that the earth 
could afford sustenance for 16,000 millions of inhabitants r or 
twenty times the number that is presently supposed to exist. 
So that we have no reason to fear that the world will be over- 
stocked with inhabitants for many ages to come ; or that a 
period may soon arrive when the increase of population will 
surpass the means of subsistence, as some of the disciples of 
Malthus have lately insinuated. To suppose, as some of 
these gentlemen seem to do, that wars and diseases, poverty 
and pestilence, are necessary evils, in order to prevent the 
increase of the human race beyond the means of subsistence 
which nature can afford — while the immense regions of New 
Holland, New Guinea, Borneo, and the greater part of Africa 
and America are almost destitute of inhabitants — is both an 
insult on the dignity of human nature, and a reflection on the 
wisdom and beneficence of Divine Providence. The Creator 
is benevolent and bountiful, and " his tender mercies are over 
ail his works ;" but man, by his tyranny, ambition, and self- 
ishness, has counteracted the streams of Divine beneficence, 
and introduced into the social state, poverty, disorder, and 
misery, with all their attendant train of evils ; and it is not 
before such demoralizing principles be in some measure era- 
dicated, and the principles of Christian benevolence brought 
into active operation, that the social state of man will be 
greatly meliorated, and the bounties of heaven fully enjoyed 
by the human race. If, in the present deranged state of the 
social and political world, it be found difficult, in any parti- 
cular country, to find sustenance for its inhabitants, emigra- 
tion is the obvious and natural remedy ; and the rapid emi- 
grations which are now taking place to the Cape of Good 
Hope, New Holland, Van Dieman's Land, and America, are, 
doubtless, a part of those arrangements of Providence, by 



GEOGRAPHY. 153 

which the Creator will accomplish his designs, in peopling the 
desolate wastes of our globe, and promoting the progress o* 
knowledge, and of the true religion among the scattered tribes 
of mankind. 



With that branch of knowledge to which I have now ad- 
verted, every individual of the human race ought to be in 
some measure acquainted. For it is unworthy of the dignity 
of a rational being, to stalk abroad on the surface of the earth* 
and enjoy the bounty of his Creator, without considering the 
nature and extent of his sublunary habitation, the variety of 
august objects it contains, the relation in which he stands to 
other tribes of intelligent agents, and the wonderful machinery 
which is in constant operation for supplying his wants, and for 
producing the revolutions of day and night, spring and autumn, 
summer and winter. — In a religious point of view, Geography 
is a science of peculiar interest. For " the salvation of God," 
which Christianity unfolds, is destined to be proclaimed in 
every land, in order that men of all nations, and kindreds, and 
tongues may participate in its blessings. But, without ex- 
ploring every region of the earth, and the numerous islands 
which are scattered over the surface of the ocean, and open- 
ing up a regular intercourse with the different tribes of human 
beings which dwell upon its surface, we can never carry into 
effect the purpose of God, by " making known his salvation 
to the ends of the earth." — As God has ordained, that " all 
flesh shall see the salvation" he has accomplished, and that 
human beings shall be the agents for carrying his designs into 
effect — so, we may rest assured, that he has ordained every 
mean requisite for accomplishing this end ; and, consequent- 
ly, that it is his will that men should study the figure and 
magnitude of the earth, and all those arts by which they may . 
be enabled to traverse and explore the different regions of land 
and water, which compose the terraqueous globe — and that it 
is also his will, that every one who feels an interest in the 
present and eternal happiness of his fellow-men, should make 
himself acquainted with the result of all the discoveries in this 
science that have been, or may yet be made, in order to stimu- 
late his activity, in conveying to the wretched sons of Adam, 
wherever they may be found, " the unsearchable riches of 
Christ." 

To the Missionary, and the Directors of Bible and Mis- 
sionary Societies, a minute and comprehensive knowledge of 
this science, and of all the facts connected with it, is essen- 

13* 



154 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

tially requisite ; without which they would often grope in the 
dark, and spend their money in vain, and " their labour for that 
which doth not profit." They must be intimately acquainted 
with the extensive field of operation which lies before them, 
and with the physical, the moral, and the political state of the 
difTerent tribes to which they intend to send the message of 
salvation ; otherwise their exertions will be made at random, 
and their schemes be conducted without judgment or discri- 
mination. To attempt to direct the movements of Missionary 
Societies, without an intimate knowledge of this subject, is as 
foolish and absurd as it would be for a land-surveyor to lay 
down plans for the improvement of a gentleman's estate, be- 
fore he had surveyed the premises, and made himself ac- 
quainted with the objects upon them, in their various aspects, 
positions, and bearings. If all those who direct and support 
the operations of such societies, were familarly acquainted 
with the different fields for missionary exertions, and with the 
peculiar state and character of the diversified tribes of the 
heathen world, so far as they are known, injudicious schemes 
might be frustrated before they are carried into offect, and the 
funds of such institutions preserved from being wasted to no 
purpose. In this view, it is the duty of every Christian, to 
mark the progress and the results of the various geographical 
expeditions which are now going forward in quest of disco- 
veries, in connection with the moral and political movements 
which are presently agitating the nations : for every navigator, 
who ploughs the ocean in search of new islands and conti- 
nents, and every traveller who explores the interior of unknown 
countries, should be considered as so many pioneers, sent be- 
forehand, by Divine Providence, to prepare the way for the 
labors of the missionary, and for the combined exertions of 
Christian benevolence.* 



* On this subject, the Author feels great pleasure in referring his read- 
ers to a small volume, lately published, by James Douglas, Esq. of Cavers, 
entitled, " Hints on Missions," — a work which deserves the attentive 
perusal, both of the philosopher, the politician, and the Christian, and par- 
ticularly of the Directors of Missionary Societies ; and which is charac- 
terized by a spirit of enlightened philanthropy, and a condensation of 
thought, which has seldom been equalled in the discussion of such topics. 
It concentrates, as it were, into a focus, the light which has been reflected 
from hundreds of volumes ; and the original hints it suggests, claim the 
serious consideration of the superintendents of missionary schemes ; with- 
out an attention to some of which, the beneficial effects resulting from such 
undertakings will be few and unimportant. — Should this note happen to 
strike the eye of the worthy Author, it is submitted, with all due deference, 
whether a more extensive circulation of the substance of this volume, in a 
less expensive form, and with a few modifications, to bring it within the 



GEOGRAPHY. 155 

But even to every private Christian, Geography is an inter- 
esting branch of study, without some knowledge of which his 
prayers and his Christian sympathies cannot be judiciously 
and extensively directed. We occasionally hear the ministers 
of religion, at the commencement of public worship, on the 
first day of the week, imploring the Divine blessing on their 
brethren throughout the Christian church, who are commenc- 
ing the same exercises ; and at the close of worship in the 
afternoon, that the same blessing may seal the instructions 
which have been delivered in all the churches of the saints ; 
as if all the public religious services of the universal church 
were, at that moment, drawing to a close. This is all very 
well, so far as it goes : the expression of such benevolent 
wishes is highly becoming and congenial to the spirit of 
Christianity. But a very slight acquaintance with Geogra- 
phical science will teach us, that, when we in this country are 
commencing the religious services of the first day of the week, 
our Christian brethren in the East Indies, who live under a 
very different meridian, have finished theirs ; those in Russia, 
Poland, Greece, Palestine, and on the banks of the Caspian 
sea, have performed one half of their public religious worship 
and instructions ; and those in New Holland and Yan Die- 
man's Land have retired to rest, at the close of their Sabbath. 
On the other hand, our friends in the West India Islands and 
in America, at the close of our worship, are only about to com- 
mence the public instructions of the Christian Sabbath. If, 
then, it be submitted, that our prayers, in certain cases, ought 
to be specific, to have a reference to the particular cases and 
relations of certain classes of individuals, there can be no valid 
reason assigned, why they should not have a reference to the 
geographical positions of the different portions of the Christian 
Church, as well as to those who live on or near our own meri- 
dian : that, for example, in the beginning of our public devo- 
tions, we might implore that the blessing of God may accom- 
pany the instructions which have been delivered in the Eastern 
parts of the world ; and at the close of worship, that the same 
agency may direct in the exercises of those in the Western 
hemisphere, who are about to enter on the sacred services of 
that day. On the same principle, we may perceive the absur- 
dity of those " concerts"* for prayer in different places at the 

range of thought possessed by general readers, would not have a tendency 
to promote its benevolent objects. 

* The author does not seem to mean, that it is absurd for Christians in 
every part of the earth to assemble on the same day in their respective places 
Qf devotion, to pray for a universal extension of Christianity. This objec- 



156 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER* 

same hour, which were lately proposed, and attempted by a 
certain portion of the religious world. Even within the limits 
of Europe, this could not be attempted, with the prospect of 
Christians joining in devotion at one and the same time ; for, 
when it is six o'clock in one part of Europe, it is eight at 
another, and five o'clock at a third place ; much less could 
such a concert take place throughout Europe, Asia, and Ame- 
rica. So that science, and a calm consideration of the nature 
and relations of things, may teach us to preserve our devotional 
fervor and zeal within the bounds of reason and propriety ; 
and, at the same time, to direct our reflections, and our 
Christian sympathies, to take a wider range than that to which 
they are usually confined. 

Besides the considerations now suggested, a serious con- 
templation of the physical objects and movements which this 
science exhibits, has a tendency to excite pious and reverential 
emotions. To contemplate this huge globe of land and water, 
flying with rapidity through the voids of space, conveying its 
vast population from one region to another, at the rate of fifteen 
hundred thousand miles in a day, and whirling round its axis 
at the same time, to produce the constant succession of day 
and night, — to contemplate the lofty ridges of mountains that 
stretch around it in every direction ; the flaming volcanoes ; 
the roaring cataracts ; the numerous rivers, incessantly rolling 
their watery treasures into the seas; the majestic ocean, and 
its unfathomable caverns ; the vapors rising from its surface, 
and replenishing the springs and rivers ; the avalanche hurling 
down the mountain's side with a noise like thunder ; the luxu- 
riant plains of the torrid zone ; the rugged cliffs and icebergs 
of the polar regions ; and thousands of other objects of diver- 
sified beauty and sublimity, — has an evident tendency to 
expand the conceptions of the human mind, to increase its 
sources of animal enjoyment, and to elevate the affections to 
that All-Powerful Being who gave birth to all the sublimities of 
Nature, and who incessantly superintends all its movements. 

In fine, from the numerous moral facts, which Geography 
unfolds, we learn the vast depth and extent of that moral de- 
gradation into which the human race has fallen — the ferocious 
tempers, and immoral practices, which are displayed in the 
regions of Pagan idolatry — the horrid cruelties, the vile abo- 
minations, that are daily perpetrated under the sanction of what 

tion would lie with equal weight against the sabbath. His only objection 
appears to be against the supposition, that christians, meeting in different 
parts of the earth at the same hour of the day, are praying in all placGS at 
the same moment. — American Editor. 



GEOLOGY. 157 

is termed religion — the wide extent of population, over which 
the prince of darkness sways his sceptre — the difficulties which 
require to be surmounted before the " Gospel of salvation'' can 
extend its full influence throughout the Pagan world — and the 
vast energies which are requisite to accomplish this glorious 
event. All these portions of information are calculated to 
confirm and illustrate the Scriptural doctrine of the universal 
depravity of man — to exercise the faith of the Christian, on 
the promises of Jehovah, in reference to the conversion of the 
benighted nations — to rouse his sympathies towards his de- 
graded brethren of mankind, to excite his intercession in their 
behalf, and to direct his benevolence and activity, in devising 
and executing schemes for enlightening the people who are 
sitting " in darkness, and in the shadow of death." 

GEOLOGY. 

Another subject intimately related to the former, is, the 
science of Geology. 

This science has for its object, to investigate and describe 
the internal structure of the earth, the arrangement of the ma- 
terials of which it is composed, the circumstances peculiar to 
its original formation, the different states under which it has 
existed, and the various changes which it appears to have un- 
dergone, since the Almighty created the substance of which it 
is composed. From a consideration of the vast quantity of 
materials contained in the internal structure of our globe, and 
of the limited extent to which men can carry their operations, 
when they attempt to penetrate into its bowels, it is obvious, 
that our knowledge of this subject must be very shallow and 
imperfect. The observations, however, which have been made 
on the structure of our globe during the last half century, and 
the conclusions deduced from them, are highly interesting, 
both to the philosopher, and to the Christian. Before the 
facts, on which this branch of Natural History is founded, 
were accurately ascertained, a variety of objections to the Mo- 
saic history of the creation were started by certain sceptical 
philosophers, founded on partial and erroneous views of the 
real structure and economy of the earth. But it is now found, 
that the more accurately and minutely the system of nature is 
explored, the more distinctly do we perceive the harmony that 
subsists between the records of Revelation, and the operations 
of the Creator, in the material world. If both be admitted as 
the effects of the agency of the same Almighty and Eternal 
Being, they must, in the nature of things, completely har 



158 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

monize, and can never be repugnant to each other^-whether 
we be capable, in every instance, of perceiving their com- 
plete coincidence, or not. If any facts could be produced in 
the visible creation which directly contradict the records of 
the Bible, it would form a proof, that the oracles which we 
hold as Divine, were not dictated by the Creator and Go- 
vernor of the universe. But, although some garbled facts 
have been triumphantly exhibited in this view, it is now ascer- 
tained, from the discoveries which have been lately made in 
relation to the structure and formation of the earth, that the 
truth of the facts detailed in Sacred History, rests on a solid 
and immutable basis ; and that the Supreme Intelligence who 
arranged the fabric of heaven and earth, and he alone, commu- 
nicated to the inspired writers the doctrines, and the facts they 
have recorded ; and, we have reason to believe, that as Geol- 
ogists proceed in their researches and investigations, still 
more sensible proofs of the authenticity of Revelation will be 
brought to light. 

Geology has, of late, become an interesting object of in- 
quiry to the student of general science, and is now prosecuted 
with ardor by many distinguished philosophers. The observa- 
tions which have been made in various parts of the world, by 
late navigators ; the facts which have been ascertained by 
Pallas, Saussure, De Luc, Humboldt, and other intelligent 
travellers ; and the discoveries which have been brought to 
light by modern chemists and mineralogists, have all con- 
spired to facilitate Geological inquiries, to render them more 
enlightened and satisfactory, and to prepare the way for future 
ages establishing a rational, scriptural, and substantial theory 
of the earth. The man who engages in such inquiries has 
always at hand a source of rational investigation and enjoy- 
ment. The ground on which he treads — the aspect of the 
surrounding country — the mines, the caves, and the quarries 
which he explores — every new country in which he travels, 
every mountain he climbs, and every new surface of the earth 
that is laid open to his inspection, offer to him novel and in- 
teresting stores of information. On descending into mines, 
we are not only gratified by displays of human ingenuity, but 
we also acquire views of the strata of the earth, and of the revo- 
lutions it has undergone since the period of its formation. — 
Our researches on the surface of the earth, amidst abrupt pre- 
cipices and lofty mountains, introduce us to the grandest and 
most sublime works of the Creator, and present to our view 
the effects of stupendous forces, which have overturned moun- 
tains, and rent the foundations of nature. " In the midst of 



GEOTOGY. 159 

such scenes, the Geologist feels his mind invigorated ; the 
magnitude of the appearances before him extinguishes all the 
little and contracted notions he may have formed in the 
closet ; and he learns, that it is only by visiting and studying 
those stupendous works, that he can form an adequate con- 
ception of the great relations of the crust of the globe, and of 
its mode of formation."* 

The upper crust, or surface of the earth, is found to be com- 
posed of different strata, or beds placed one above another. 
These strata, or layers, are very much mixed, and their direc- 
tion, matter, thickness, and relative position, vary considerably 
in different places. These strata are divided into seven 
classes, as follows : — black earth, clay, sandy earth, marl, bog, 
chalk, and scabeous or stony earth. The surface of the globe, 
considered in relation to its inequalities, is divided into High- 
land, Lowland, and the bottom of the sea. Highland com- 
prises Alpine land, composed of mountain groups, or series of 
mountain chains : Lowland comprises those extensive flat 
tracts which are almost entirely destitute of small mountain 
groups. To the bottom of the sea belong the flat, rocky bot- 
tom, shoals, reefs* and islands. 

At first sight, the solid mass of the earth appears to be a con- 
fused assemblage of rocky masses, piled on each other without 
regularity or order, where none of those admirable displays of 
skill and contrivance are to be observed, which so powerfully 
excite attention in the structure of animals and vegetables. 
But, on a nearer and more intimate view, a variety of beautiful 
arrangements has been traced by the industry of Geologists, 
and the light of modern discoveries ; by which they have been 
enabled to classify these apparant irregularities of nature. 
The materials of which the solid crust of the earth-is composed, 
have been arranged into the four following classes : — 1. 
Those rocks which contain neither any animal nor vegetable 
remains themselves, nor are intermixed with rocks which do 
contain them, and are therefore termed Primitive, or Primary 
rocks ; the period of whose formation is considered as ante- 
cedent to that of the creation of organic beings. These are 
granite, gnesis, mica slate, and clay slate, which occur abun- 
dantly in all regions of the globe, with quartz rock, serpentine, 
granular limestone, &c. which occur more sparingly. — 2. 
Rocks containing organic remains, or generally associated with 
other rocks in which such substances are found, and which, as 
having been formed posterior to the existence of organized 

* Edinburgh Encyclop. Art. Mineralogy, 



160 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

beings, are termed Secondary. These are greywacke, sand- 
stone, limestone, and gypsum of various kinds, slate clay, with 
certain species of trap ; and they are found lying above the 
primary or older rocks. — 3. Above these secondary rocks, beds 
of gravel, sand, earth, and moss, are found, which have been 
termed Alluvial rocks, or Formations. This class compre- 
hends those rocky substances formed from previously existing 
rocks, of which the materials have been broken down by the 
agency of water and air ; they are therefore generally loose in 
their texture, and are never covered with any real solid and 
rocky secondary strata. — 4. Volcanic rocks ; under which 
class are comprehended all those rocks, beds of lava, scoriae, 
and other matter thrown out at certain points of the earth's 
surface by the action of subterraneous fire. 

44 The phenomena of Geology show, that the original 
formation of the rocks has been accompanied, in nearly all its 
stages, by a process of waste, decay, and recomposition. The 
rocks, as they were successively deposited, were acted upon 
by air and water, heat, &c. broken into fragments, or worn 
down into grains, out of which new strata were formed. Even 
the newer secondary rocks, since their consolidation, have 
been subject to great changes, of which very distinct monu- 
ments remain. Thus, we have single mountains which, from 
their structure, can be considered only as remnants of great 
formations, or of great continents no longer in existence. 
Mount Meisner, in Hesse, six miles long and three broad, 
rises about 1800 feet above its base, and 2100 above the sea, 
overtopping all the neighbouring hills from 40 to 50 miles 
round. The lowest part of the mountain consists of the same 
shell, limestone, and sandstone, which exist in the adjacent 
country. Above these are, first, a bed of sand, then a bed of 
fossil wood, 100 feet thick at some points, and the whole is 
covered by a mass of basalt, 500 feet in height. On consi- 
dering these facts, it is impossible to avoid concluding, that 
this mountain which now overtops the neighbouring country, 
occupied at one time, the bottom of a cavity in the midst of 
higher lands. The vast mass of fossil wood could not all 
have grown there, but must have been transported by water 
from a more elevated surface, and lodged in what was then a 
hollow. The basalt which covers the wood must also have 
flowed in a current from a higher site ; but the soil over which 
both the wood and the basalt passed, has been swept away 
leaving this mountain as a solitary memorial to attest its exist 
ence. Thus, also, on the side of Mount Jura next the Alps 
where no other mountain interposes, there are found vas 



GEOLOGY. 161 

blocks of granite (some of 1000 cubic yards) at the height of 
more than 2000 feet above the Lake of Geneva. These 
blocks are foreign to the rocks among which they lie, and have 
evidently come from the opposite chain of the Alps ; but the 
land which constituted the inclined plane over which they 
were rolled or transported, has been worn away, and the val- 
ley of lower Switzerland, with its lakes, now occupies its place, 
Transported masses of primitive rocks, of the same descrip- 
tion, are found scattered over the north of Germany, which 
Van Buch ascertained by their characters to belong to the 
mountains of Scandinavia ; and which, therefore, carry us 
back to a period when an elevated continent, occupying the 
basin of the Baltic, connected Saxony with Norway. — Supp. 
to Ency. Brit. vol. 6. 

The production of a bed for vegetation is effected by the 
decomposition of rocks. This decomposition is effected by 
the expansion of water in the pores or fissures of rocks, by 
heat or congelation — by the solvent power of moisture — and 
by electricity, which is known to be a powerful agent of de- 
composition. As soon as the rock begins to be softened, the 
seeds of lichens, which are constantly floating in the air, make 
it their resting place. Their generations occupy it till a finely 
divided earth is formed, which becomes capable of supporting 
mosses and heath ; acted upon by light and heat, these plants 
imbibe the dew, and convert constituent parts of the air into 
nourishment. Their death and decay afford food for a more 
perfect species of vegetable ; and, at length, a mould is form- 
ed, in which even the trees of the forest can fix their roots, 
and which is capable of rewarding the labors of the cultivator. 
The decomposition of rocks tends to the renovation of soils, 
as well as their cultivation. Finely divided matter is carried 
by rivers from the higher districts to the low countries, and 
alluvial lands are usually extremely fertile. By these opera- 
dons, the quantity of habitable surface is constantly increased ; 
precipitous cliffs are generally made gentle slopes, lakes are 
filled up, and islands are formed at the mouths of great rivers ; 
so that as the world grows older, its capacity for containing an 
increased number of inhabitants is gradually enlarging. 

Of all the memorials of the past history of our globe, the 
most interesting are those myriads of remains of organized 
bodies which exist in the interior of its outer crusts. In these, 
we find traces of innumerable orders of beings existing under 
different circumstances, succeeding one another at distant 
epochs, and varying through multiplied changes of form. " If 
we examine the secondary rocks, beginning with the most 

14 



162 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ancient, the first organic remains which present themselves, are 
those of aquatic plants and large reeds, but of species differ- 
ent from ours. To these succeed madrepores, encrenities, 
and other aquatic zoophites, living beings of the simplest 
forms which remain attached to one spot, and partake, in some 
degree, of the nature of vegetables. Posterior to these, are 
ammonites, and other mollusci, still very simple in their forms, 
and entirely different from any animals now known. After 
these, some fishes appear ; and plants, consisting of bamboos 
and ferns, increase, but still different from those which exist. 
In the next period, along with an increasing number of extinct 
species of shells and fishes, we meet with amphibious and 
viviparous quadrupeds, such as crocodiles and tortoises, and 
some reptiles, as serpents, which show, that dry land now ex- 
isted. As we approach the newest of the solid rock forma- 
tions, we find lamantins, phocse, and other cetaceous and 
mammiferous sea animals, with some birds. And in the new- 
est of these formations, we find the remains of herbiferous 
land animals of extinct species, the paleotherium, anaplothe- 
rium, &c. and of birds, with some fresh water shells. In the 
lowest beds of loose soil, and in peat bogs, are found the re- 
mains of the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, elk, &c. of 
different species from those which now exist, but belonging to 
the same genera. Lastly, the bones of the species which are 
apparently the same with those now existing alive, are never 
found except in the very latest alluvial depositions, or those 
which are either formed in the sides of rivers, the bottoms of 
ancient lakes and marshes now dried up, in peat beds, in the 
fissures and caverns of certain rocks, or at small depths below 
the present surface, in places where they may have been over- 
whelmed by debris, or even buried by man. Human bones 
are never found except among those of animal species now 
living, and in situations which show, that they have been 
comparatively speaking, recently deposited." — Supp. to Ency. 
Brit. vol. 6. 

More than thirty different species of animals have been 
found embedded in the secondary strata — no living examples 
of which are now to be found in any quarter of the globe 
Among the most remarkable of these are the following. — 1. 
The Mammoth, which bears a certain resemblance to the 
Elephant, but is much larger, and differs considerably in the 
size and form of the tusks, jaws, and grinders. The fossil re- 
mains of this animal are more abundant in Siberia than in 
other countries ; there being scarcely a spot, from the river 
Pon to Kamtschatka, in which they have not been found. 



GEOLOGY. I6S 

Not only single bones and perfect skeletons of this animal are 
frequently to be met with ; but, in a late instance, the whole 
animal was found preserved in ice. This animal was dis- 
covered on the banks of the frozen ocean, near the mouth of 
the river Jena, in 1799 ; and in 1805, Mr. Adams got it con- 
veyed over a space of 7000 miles to Petersburgh, where it is 
deposited in the Museum. The flesh, skin, and hair were 
completely preserved, and even the eyes were entire. It was 
provided with a long mane, and the body was covered with 
hair. This hair was of different qualities. There were stiff 
black bristles from 12 to 15 inches long, and these belonged 
to the tail, mane, and ears. Other bristles were from 9 to 10 
inches long, and cf a brown color ; and besides these, there 
was a coarse wool, from 3 to 5 inches long, of a pale yellow 
color. This mammoth was a male : it measured 9 feet 4 
inches in height, and was 16 feet 4 inches long, without inclu- 
ding the tusks. The tusks, measuring along the cuive y are 9 
feet 6 inches ; and the two together v/eigh 360 lbs. avoirdu- 
pois. The head alone without the tusks, weighs 414 lbs, 
avoirdupois. The remains of this animal have been found 
likewise in Iceland, Norway, Scotland, England, and in 
many places through the continent onwards to the Arctic 
ocean. 

2. The Megatherium. A complete skeleton of -this co- 
lossal species was found in diluvial soil, near Buenos Ayres r 
and sent to Madrid, The specimen is 14 feet long, and 7 
Spanish feet in height. 

3. The great Mastodon of the Ohio. This species ap- 
pears to have been as tall as the elephant, but with longer and 
thicker limbs. It had tusks like the elephant, and appears to 
have lived on roots. Its remains abound in America, particu- 
larly on the banks of the Ohio. 

4. The Tapir, which also abounds in America. The 
one named Gigantic Tapir, is about 18 feet long, and 12 feet 
high. 

5. The Irish Elk, or Elk of the Isle of Man. This gi- 
gantic species, now apparently extinct, occurs in a fossil state^ 
in Ireland, Isle of Man, England, Germany, and France. The 
most perfect specimen of this species, which was found in the 
Isle of Man, may be seen in the Museum of the University of 
Edinburgh. It is 6 feet high, 9 feet long, and in height to 
the tip of the right horn, 9 feet 1\ inches. An engraving of 
this skeleton may be seen in vol. 6 of Supp. to Ency. Brit. 

From a consideration of the phenomena above described. 
Geologists have been led to conclude, " that rocks now buried 



64 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

at a great depth, constituted, at one time, the surface of con 
tinents, and the seat of organic life ; and that many orders of 
beings have been called into existence, and afterwards de- 
stroyed by great revolutions, which introduced new classes ot 
mineral deposits, accompanied with new tribes of organic 
beings." It has also been concluded by some, that the 
appearance of Man upon the face of the globe, is, geologi- 
cally speaking, a very recent event ; before which the earth 
had been inhabited thousand of years by various families of 
plants and tribes of animals, which had been destroyed and 
renewed in a long series of successions. Whether these 
conclusions be necessary inferences from the phenomena of 
organic remains and other geological facts, I shall not, at 
present, stop to inquire. It is sufficient for the Christian 
Philosopher to show, that, though they should be admitted in 
their full extent, they are not inconsistent with the records of 
Sacred History, as some divines have been disposed to main- 
tain. Though it could be proved to a demonstration, that the 
materials of which the present system of our globe is com- 

f>osed, have existed for millions of years, it would not, in the 
east, invalidate the Mosaic account of the arrangement of 
our world. For Moses no where affirms, that the materials or 
substance of the earth, were created, or brought from nothing 
into existence, at the period when his history commences. 
His language, on the contrary, evidently implies, that the 
materials which enter into the constitution of our globe did 
exist, at the epoch at which he commences his narration. 
" The earth was without form, and void ; and darkness was 
upon the face of the deep." This passage plainly implies the 
following things — 1. That the original atoms, or materials, 
out of which the terraqueous globe, in its present state, was 
formed, were then in existence, or, had been previously created. 
How long they had been in existence is not stated. We may 
suppose them to have existed for a year, a thousand years, or 
a million of years, just as geological phenomena seem to war- 
rant, without in the least invalidating the authority of the 
Sacred Historian, who states nothing contrary to the truth of 
either supposition. 2. That the materials of our globe, as 
then existing, were in a chaotic state. Instead of that order 
and beauty which we perceive on the face of nature, the whole 
mass presented a scene of confusion and disorder — such a 
scene, perhaps, as would be presented, were the earth stripped 
of its verdure, were its strata universally disrupted, its moun- 
tains hurled into the plains, and its rivers and seas, by some 
terrible convulsion, to forsake their ancient channels. 3. The 



GEOLOGY. 165 

passage seems to imply, that the whole, or the greater portion 
of the earth, as it then existed, was covered with a deluge 
of water : " Darkness covered the face of the deep," or the 
abyss. 

Such was the state of the terrestrial system at the period 
when Moses commences his narration ; no intimation being 
given of the period of its duration in this condition ; and, 
consequently, nothing asserted to militate against any geolo- 
gical system which is founded on the facts which have been 
discovered respecting the organic remains which are found in 
the strata of our globe. It is a mistake into which too many 
have been apt to fall, to suppose, that Moses begins his history 
at the period when the first portions of material existence 
were created out of nothing ; and that it was his design to 
mark the precise epoch when the whole assemblage of created 
beings throughout the universe was brought into existence. — 
His primary, if not his sole intention evidently was, to detail 
the progress of those arrangements by which the earth was 
gradually reduced to that form and order in which we now 
behold it, from the chaotic materials which previously existed. 
And, as an emphatic and appropriate introduction to his narra- 
tion, he states this important truth : " In the begining God 
created the heaven and the earth." This passage, being of a 
general and comprehensive nature, decides nothing with regard 
to the period, or precise epoch, at which the different bodies in 
the universe were called into being ; but is evidently intended 
to convey the following important truth, in opposion to all fan- 
ciful, chimerical, and atheistical notions respecting the origin of 
the world ; namely, " That, at what period soever, in the lapse 
of duration, any object was brought into existence, it derived 
that existence from the God of Israel, the self-existent and 
Eternal Jehovah." "In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth." As the language of the Sacred Historian, 
therefore, decides nothing with regard to time — to limit the 
creation of every portion of the material system within the 
period of six thousand years, is to make an unnecessary con- 
cession to the infidel philosopher, which may afterwards be 
found inconsistent with certain facts which exist in the ma- 
terial world. 

But, whatever may be said with respect to the state and 
duration of the earth prior to the period at which Moses com- 
mences his narration, it is admitted by every geologist, that 
our globe, as to its present form and arrangement, has been, 
comparatively, of but short duration. Cuvier, one of the 
most enlightened geologists of the age, deduces, from certain 

14* 



166 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

progressive changes on the earth's surface, as well as from the 
concurrent traditions of many nations, that the first appearance 
of man upon the face of the globe, or, at least, the renewal of 
the human race after some great catastrophe, cannot be refer- 
red to a period farther back than 5000, or 6000 years from the 
present time. Geologists, too, of every description, however 
different the systems or theories they have adopted, have all 
been constrained, from the evidence of fact, to admit this con- 
clusion, " That every part of the dry land ivas once covered by 
the ocean ;" thus confirming the scriptural account of that 
stupendous event, the universal deluge. This event, from its 
very nature, must have been accompanied with the most terri- 
ble convulsions, both on the exterior surface, and in the inte- 
rior strata of the globe. Accordingly we find, that traces of 
this awful catastrophe exist in every region of the earth. Mr. 
Parkinson describes the whole island of Great Britain, as 
having, since its completion, " suffered considerable distur- 
bance from some prodigious and mysterious power. By this 
power all the known strata, to the greatest depths that have 
been explored, have been more or less broken and displaced, 
and, in some places, have been so lifted, that some of the lowest 
of them have been raised to the surface ; while portions of 
others, to a very considerable depth and extent, have beei? 
entirely carried away." The whole of the Alpine region ir 
Switzerland, and the North of Italy, considered as one mass 
shows the most evident marks of dislocation. At the heigh* 
of 3500 feet above the level of the sea, M. Saussure met with 
a chasm a hundred feet wide, and so deep that he saw no bot- 
tom. All travellers on the Alps have regarded them with 
horror. They mark the most evident convulsions, but show 
no signs of having been occasioned by attrition. Mr. Towns- 
end, speaking of the Pyrenees, which he personally inspected, 
says, " What is most remarkable is, to see four enormous 
chasms, almost perpendicular, which divided both mountains 
and their valleys, and which appear as if they had just been 
rent asunder." Throughout the ranges of the Andes, and in 
every other mountainous region, similar chasms and disrup- 
tions, indicating the former operation of some tremendous 
power, are frequently observed by those who visit such scenes 
of grandeur. — In some of the coal mines in our own country, 
the coal is in some places lifted up, or thrown down several 
hundreds of feet from the places it appears originally to have 
occupied. "Two miles north of Newcastle," says Mr. Towns* 
end, " one great dyke ox fault throws down the coal 540 feet 



GEOLOGY. 167 

— at the distance of 3 miles, it is cut off and thrown down 
again 240 feet." 

An evidence of the effects which could be produced only 
by a general deluge, is also afforded by those organic remains 
to which I have already adverted, and particularly by those 
immense quantities of marine shells, which have been discov- 
ered in situations so elevated, and in places so far removed from 
the sea, as to prove that they were left there by a flood exten- 
ing over the whole globe. At Touraine, in France, a hundred 
miles from the sea, is a bed of shells stretching 9 leagues in 
extent, and 20 feet in depth, and including shells not known 
to belong to the neighbouring sea. Humboldt found sea shells 
on the Andes at an elevation of 14,120 feet above the level of 
the sea. The slaty mountain of La Bolca, near Verona, is 
famous for petrifactions, among which are enumerated more 
than one hundred species of fish, natives of Europe, Asia, 
Africa, and America, here assembled in one place. 

It appears, therefore, that the researches of Geology confirm 
the fact of a universal deluge, and thus afford a sensible proof 
of the credibility of the Sacred Historian, and, consequently, 
of the truth of the doctrines of Divine Revelation. But r besides 
the testimony which this science bears to the authenticity of 
Scripture History, it exhibits some of the grandest objects in 
the history of the physical operations of Divine Providence. 
It presents to our view, in a most impressive form, the majes- 
tic agency of God, in convulsing and disarranging the struc 
ture of our globe, and which at first sprung from his hand in 
perfect order and beauty. When we comtemplate the objects 
which this science embraces, we seem to be standing on the 
ruins of a former world . We behold " hills" which " have 
melted like wax at the presence of the Lord," and " mountains" 
which " have been carried into the midst of the sea." We 
behold rocks of enormous size, which have been rent from 
their foundations, and rolled from one continent to another — 
the most solid strata of the earth bent under the action of 
some tremendous power, and dispersed in fragments through 
the surrounding regions. We behold the summits of lofty 
mountains, over which the ocean had rolled its mighty billows 
— confounding lands and seas in one universal devastation — 
transporting plants and forests from one quarter of the world 
to another, and spreading universal destruction among the 
animated inhabitants of the water and the earth. When we 
enter the wild and romantic scene of a mountainous country ,. 
or descend into the subterraneous regions of the globe, we are 



168 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

every where struck with the vestiges of operations carried on 
by the powers of Nature, upon a scale of prodigious magni- 
tude, and with the exertion of forces, the stupendous nature 
of which astonishes and overpowers the mind. Comtemplat- 
ing such scenes of grandeur, we perceive the force and sub- 
limity of those descriptions of Deity contained in the volume 
of inspiration : M The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majes- 
ty ; in his hand are the deep places of the earth, the strength 
of hills is his also. He removeth the mountains, and they 
know not ; he overturneth them in his anger ; he shaketh the 
earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. At his 
presence the earth shook and trembled : the foundations also 
of the hills moved, and were shaken, because he was wrath." 
" Thou coveredst the earth with the deep, as with a garment ; 
the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they 
fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hastened away." While 
retracing such terrific displays of Omnipotence, we are natu- 
rally led to inquire into the moral cause which induced the 
Benevolent Creator to inflict upon the world such overwhelm- 
ing desolations. For reason, as well as revelation, declares, 
that a moral cause must have existed. Man must have viola- 
ted the commands of his Maker, and frustrated the end of his 
creation ; and to this conclusion the Sacred Historian bears 
ample testimony. — " God saw that the wickedness of man was 
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts 
of his heart was only evil continually : and Jehovah said, I 
will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the 
earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the 
fowls of the air." 

ASTRONOMY. 

Another science which stands in an intimate relation to reli 
gion, is Astronomy. 

This sublime science teaches us the magnitudes and dis- 
tances of the heavenly bodies, their arrangement, their various 
motions and phenomena, and the laws by which their move- 
ments are regulated. It presents to our view objects the most 
wonderful and sublime ; whether we consider the vast magni- 
tude of the bodies about which it is conversant — their immense 
number — the velocity of their motions — the astonishing forces 
requisite to impel them in their rapid career through the regions 
of the sky — the vast spaces which surround them, and in which 
they perform their revolutions — the magnificent circles they 
describe — the splendor of their appearance — or the important 
ends they are destined to serve in the grand system of the 






ASTRONOMY. 169 

universe. Having adverted to this subject, when illustrating the 
Omnipotence of the Deity, I shall here simply state a few 
additional facts with respect to the general appearance of the 
heavens, the bodies which compose the planetary system, and 
the discoveries which have been made in the region of the 
stars. 

When we lift our eyes towards the sky, we perceive an ap- 
parent hollow hemisphere, placed at an indefinite distance, and 
surrounding the earth on every hand. In the day time, the 
principal object which appears in the hemisphere, is the sun. 
In the morning, we see him rise above the distant mountains, 
or from the extremity of the ocean ; he gradually ascends the 
vault of heaven, and then declines, and disappears in the op- 
posite quarter of the sky. In the northern parts of the globe, 
where we reside, if, about the 21st of March, we place our- 
selves on an open plain, with our face towards the south, the 
sun will appear to rise on our left, or due east, about six in the 
morning, and about the same hour in the evening, he will set 
due west. In the month of June he rises to our left, but some- 
what behind us, in a direction towards the north-east, ascends 
to a greater height at noon than in the month of March, and, 
after describing a large arc of the heavens, sets on our right, 
and still behind us, in the north-western quarter of the sky 
In the month of December, if we stand in the same position, 
we may observe, without turning ourselves, both his rising and 
setting. He rises in the south-east, ascends to a small eleva- 
tion at noon, and sets in the south-west, after having described 
a very small arc of the heavens. Every day he appears to 
move a little towards the east, or contrary to his apparent di- 
urnal motion ; for the stars which are seen to the eastward 
of him, appear every succeeding day to make a nearer ap- 
proach to the place in which he is seen. All the variety of 
these successive changes is accomplished within the period of 
365 days 6 hours, in which time he appears to have made a 
complete revolution round the heavens from west to east. 

The moon is the next object, in the heavens which naturally 
attracts our attention ; and she is found to go through similar 
variations in the course of a month. When she first becomes 
visible at new moon, she appears in the western part of the 
heavens, in the form of a crescent, not far from the setting 
sun. Every night she increases in size, and removes to a 
greater distance from the sun, till, at last, she appears in the 
eastern part of the horizon, just as the sun disappears in the 
western ; at which time she presents a round full-enlightened 
face. After this, she gradually moves farther and farther east- 



170 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ward, and her enlightened part gradually decreases, till at last 
she seems to approach the sun as nearly in the east as she did 
in the west, and rises only a little before him in the morning, in 
the form of a crescent. All these different changes may be 
traced by attending to her apparent positions, from time to 
time, with respect to the fixed stars. 

A dark shadow is occasionally seen to move across the face 
of the moon, which obscures her light, and gives her the ap- 
pearance of tarnished copper. Sometimes this shadow 
covers only a small portion of her surface ; at other times it 
covers the whole of her disk for an hour or two, and its margin 
always appears of the figure of a segment of a circle. This 
phenomenon, which happens, at an average, about twice every 
year, is termed an eclipse of the moon. It is produced by the 
shadow of the earth falling upon the moon, when the sun, the 
earth, and the moon, are nearly in a straight line ; and can 
happen only at the time of full moon. Sometimes the moon 
appears to pass across the body of the sun, when her dark side 
is turned towards the earth, covering his disk either in whole 
or in part, and intercepting his rays from a certain portion of 
the earth. This is called an eclipse of the sun, and can happen 
only at the time of new moon. In a total eclipse of the sun, 
which seldom happens, the darkness is so striking, that the 
planets, and some of the larger stars, are distinctly seen, and 
the inferior animals appear struck with terror. 

Again, if, on a winter's evening, about six o'clock, we direct 
our view to the eastern quarter of the sky, we shall perceive 
certain stars just risen above the horizon ; if we view the same 
stars about midnight, we shall find them at a considerable ele- 
vation in the south, having apparently moved over a space 
equal to one half of the whole hemisphere. On the next 
morning, about six o'clock-, the same stars will be seen setting 
in the western part of the sky. If we turn our eyes towards 
the north, we shall perceive a similar motion in these twinkling 
orbs, but with this difference, that a very considerable number 
of them neither rise nor set, but seem to move round an im- 
moveable point, called the north pole. Near this point is 
placed the pole star, which seems to have little or no apparent 
motion, and which, in our latitude, appears elevated a little 
more than half way between the northern part of our horizon 
and the zenith or point above our heads. A person who has 
directed his attention to the heavens for the first time, after 
having made such observations, will naturally inquire — 
Whence come those stars which begin to appear in the east ? 
Whither have those gone, which have disappeared in the west 1 



ASTRONOMY. 171 

and, What becomes, during the day, of the stars which are 
seen in the night ? — It will soon occur to a rational observer, 
who is convinced of the roundness of the earth, that the stars 
which rise above the eastern horizon come from another 
hemisphere, which we are apt to imagine below us, and when 
they set, return to that hemisphere again ; and, that the reason 
why the stars are not seen in the day-time, is, not because they 
are absent from our hemisphere, or have ceased to shine, but 
because their light is obscured by the more vivid splendor of 
the sun.* From such observations we are led to conclude, 
that the globe on which we tread is suspended in empty space 
— is surrounded on all sides by the celestial vault — and that 
the whole sphere of the heavens has an apparent motion round 

* This is put beyond all doubt, by the invention of the telescope ; by 
which instrument, adapted to an equatorial motion, we are enabled to see 
many of the stars even at noon-day. The Author of this work, about 
eleven years ago, made a number of observations, by means of an Equa- 
torial telescope, to determine the following particulars : — What stars and 
planets may be conveniently seen in the day-time, when the sun is above 
the horizon ? What degrees of magnifying power are requisite for distin- 
guishing them ? How near their conjunction with the sun they may be 
seen ; — and, whether the diminution of the aperture of the telescope, or 
the increase of magnifying power, conduces most to render a star or planet 
visible in day-light. The results of several hundreds of observations on 
these points, accompanied with some original deductions and remarks, are 
inserted in " Nicholson's Philosophical Journal," for October, 1813, vol. 36, 
p. 109 — 128. The following are some of the results which were deduced 
from the observations : — That a star of the first magnitude may be dis- 
tinguished at any time of the day, with a magnifying power of 30 times, 
but that a higher magnifying power is preferable — That most of the stars 
of the second magnitude may be seen with a power of 100 : and with a 
power of 60 times, when the sun is not much more than two hours above 
the horizon — That the planet Jupiter, when not within 30 or 40 degrees of 
the sun, may be seen with a power of 15 times ; — and that Venus may, in 
most instances^ be seen with a power of from 7 to 100 times, and upwards 
—That Jupiter can scarcely be distingufshed in the day-time, when within 
26 degrees of the sun ; but that Venus may be distinctly perceived near 
her superior conjunction, when only 1 degree and 27 minutes from the sun's 
margin ; and, consequently, may be visible at the time of that conjunction, 
when her geocentric latitude equals or exceeds 1 degree 43 minutes — That 
she may be perceived, like a fine, slender crescent, within 35 hours after 
passing her inferior conjunction, &c. &c. One practical purpose to which 
such observations on Venus, at the time of her superior conjunction, may 
be applied, is, to determine the difference (if any) between her polar and 
equatorial diameters. For, it is only at that conjunction that she presents 
to the earth a full enlightened hemisphere ; and in no other position can the 
measure of both diameters be taken, except when she makes a transit 
across the sun's disk. As the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, are found 
to be spheriods, it is highly probable that Venus is of a similar figure ; but 
this point has never yet been ascertained by actual observation. See also 
" The Edinburgh Philos. Journal," No. 5, for July 1820, p. 191 ; and No. 
13, for July, 1822— " The Scots Mag." for Feb. 1814, p. 84.— "Monthly 
Mag." Feb. 1814, and August 1820, p. 62. 



172 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the earth every twenty-four hours. Whether this motion be 
real, or only apparent, must be determined by other consider- 
ations. 

Such general views of the nocturnal heavens, which every 
common observer may take, have a tendency to expand the 
mind, and to elevate it to the contemplation of an Invisible 
Power, by which such mighty movements are conducted. 
Whether we consider the vast concave, with all its radiant 
orbs, moving in majestic grandeur around our globe, or the 
earth itself whirling round its inhabitants in an opposite direc- 
tion — an idea of sublimity, and of Almighty energy, irresistibly 
forces itself upon the mind, which throws completely into the 
shade the mightiest efforts of human power. The most pow- 
erful mechanical engines that were ever constructed by the 
agency of man, can scarcely afford us the least assistance in 
forming a conception of that incomprehensible Power, which, 
with unceasing energy, communicates motion to revolving 
worlds. And yet, such is the apathy with which the heavens 
are viewed by the greater part of mankind, that there are 
thousands who have occasionally gazed at the stars, for the 
space of fifty years, who are still ignorant of the fact, that they 
perform an apparent diurnal revolution round our globe. 

Again, if we contemplate the heavens with some attention, 
for a number of successive nights, we shall find, that by far 
the greater part of the stars never vary their positions with 
respect to each other. If we observe two stars at a certain 
apparent distance from each other, either north or south, or in 
any other direction, they will appear at the same distance, and 
in the same relative position to each other, the next evening, 
the next month, and the next year. The stars, for instance, 
which form the sword and belt of Orion, present to our eye the 
same figure and relative aspect, during the whole period they 
are visible in winter, and from one year to another ; and the 
same is the case with all the fixed stars in the firmament. On 
examining the sky a little more minutely, however, we per- 
ceive certain bodies which regularly shift their positions. 
Sometimes they appear to move towards the east, sometimes 
towards the west, and at other times seem to remain in a sta- 
tionary position. These bodies have obtained the name of 
planets, or wandering stars ; and, in our latitude, are most 
frequently seen, either in the eastern and western, or in the 
southern parts of the heavens. Ten of these planetary orbs 
have been discovered ; six of which are, for the most part, 
invisible to the naked eye. By a careful examination of the 
motions of these bodies, and their different aspects, astrono 



ASTRONOMY. 173 

mers have determined, that they all move round the sun as the 
centre of their motions, and form, along with the earth and 
several smaller globes, one grand and harmonious system. 
This assemblage of planetary bodies is generally termed the 
Solar System, of which I shall now endeavor to exhibit a brief 
outline. 

THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 

Of this system, the sun is the centre and the animating 
principle, and by far the largest body that exists within its 
limits. The first thing that strikes the mind when contem- 
plating this glorious orb, is its astonishing magnitude. This 
vast globe is found to be about 880,000 miles in diameter, and, 
consequently, contains a mass of matter equal to thirteen 
hundred thousand globes of the size of the earth. Were its 
central parts placed adjacent to the surface of the earth, its 
circumference would reach two hundred thousand miles beyond 
the moon's orbit, on every side, filling a cubical space of 
681,472,000,000,000,000 miles. If it would require 18,000 
years to traverse every square mile on the earth's surface, at 
the rate of 30 miles a-day, (see p. 35,) it would require more 
than two thousand millions of years to pass over every part of the 
sun's surface, at the same rate. Even at the rate of 90 miles 
a-day it would require more than 80 years to go round its cir- 
cumference. Of a body so vast in its dimensions, the human 
mind, with all its efforts, can form no adequate conception. It 
appears an extensive universe in itself; and, although no other 
body existed within the range of infinite space, this globe alone 
would afford a powerful demonstration of the Omnipotence of 
the Creator. Were the sun a hollow sphere, surrounded by 
an external shell, and a luminous atmosphere ; were this shell 
perforated with several hundreds of openings into the internal 
part ; were a globe as large as the earth placed at its centre, 
and another globe as large as the moon, and at the same 
distance from the centre as the moon is from us, to re- 
volve round the central globe, — it would present to the view 
a universe as splendid and glorious as that which now appears 
to the vulgar eye, — a universe as large and extensive as the 
whole creation was conceived to be, by our ancestors, in the 
infancy of astronomy. And who can tell, but that Almighty 
Being, who has not left a drop of water in a stagnant pool 
without its inhabitants, has arranged a number of worlds within 
the capacious circuit uf the sun, and peopled them with intelli- 
gent beings in the first stages of their existence, to remain 
there for a certain period, till they be prepared for being trans 

15 



174 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ported to a more expansive sphere of existence ? It is easy to 
conceive, that enjoyments as exquisite, and a range of thoughts 
as ample as have ever yet been experienced by the majority of 
the inhabitants of our world, might be afforded to myriads of 
beings thus placed at the centre of this magnificent luminary. 
This supposition is, at least, as probable as that of the cele- 
brated Dr. Herschel, who supposed that the exterior surface 
of the sun was peopled with inhabitants. For, if this were the 
case, the range of view of these inhabitants would be confined 
within the limits of two or three hundred miles, and no celes- 
tial body, but an immense blaze of light, would be visible in 
their hemisphere. Such is the variety which appears among 
the works of God, and such is the diversity of situations in 
which sensitive beings are placed, that we dare not pronounce 
it impossible that both these suppositions may be realized. 

Though the sun seems to perform a daily circuit around our 
globe, he may be said, in this respect, to be fixed and immova- 
ble. This motion is not real, but only apparent, and is owing 
to the globe on which we are placed, moving round its axis 
from west to east ; just as the objects on the bank of a river 
seem to move in a contrary direction, when we are sailing 
along its stream in a steam -boat. The only motion which is 
found to exist in the sun is, a motion of rotation, like that of a 
globe or ball twirled round a pivot or axis, which is performed in 
the space of 25 days and 10 hours. This motion has been as- 
certained by means of a variety of dark spots which are discov- 
ered by the telescope on the sun's disk ; which first appear on 
his eastern limb, and, after a period of about thirteen days, dis- 
appear on his western, and, after a similar period, re-appear on 
his eastern edge. These spots are various, both in number, 
in magnitude, and in shape : sometimes 40 or 50, and some- 
times only one or two are visible, and at other times the sun 
appears entirely without spots. Most of them have a very 
dark nucleus, or central part, surrounded by an umbra, or 
fainter shade. Some of the spots are as large as would covei 
the whole continent of Europe, Asia, and Africa, others have 
been observed of the size of the whole surface of the earth : 
and one was seen, in the year 1779, which was computed to 
be more than fifty thousand miles in diameter. 

With regard to the nature of this globe — it appears highly 
probable, from the observations of Dr. Herschel, that the sun 
is a solid and opaque body, surrounded with luminous clouds 
which float in the solar atmosphere, and that the dark nucleus 
of the spots is the opaque bHy of the sun appearing through 
occasional openings in this atmosphere. The height of the 



ASTRONOMY. 175 

atmosphere, he computes to be not less than 1843, nor more 
than 2765 miles, consisting of two regions ; that nearest the 
sun being opaque, and probably resembling the clouds of our 
earth; the outermost emitting vast quantities of light, and 
forming the apparent luminous globe we behold. 

The sun is the grand source of light and heat, both to the 
earth and to all the other planetary bodies. The heat he dif- 
fuses animates every part of our sublunary system, and all 
that variety of coloring which adorns the terrestrial landscape, 
is produced by his rays. It has been lately discovered, that 
the rays of light, and the rays of heat, or caloric, are distinct 
from each other ; for, it can be demonstrated, that some rays 
from the sun produce heat, which have no power of commu- 
nicating light or color. The greatest heat is found in the red 
rays, the least in the violet rays ; and in a space beyond the 
red rays, where there is no light, the temperature is greatest. 
The rays of the sun have also been found to produce different 
chemical effects. The white muriate of silver is blackened 
in the violet ray, in the space of 15 seconds, though the red 
will not produce the same effect in less than 20 minutes. 
Phosphorus is kindled in the vicinity of the red ray, and ex- 
tinguished in the vicinity of the violet. The solar light, there- 
fore, consists of three different orders of rays, one producing 
color, a second producing heat, and a third chemical effects, 
Euler has computed that the light of the sun is equal to 6500 
candles at a foot distance, while the moon would be as one 
candle at 1\ feet; Venus at 421 feet ; anp! Jupiter at 1320 
feet. — That this immense luminary appears so small to our 
eyes, is owing to its vast distance, which is no less than 
ninety-five millions of miles. Some faint idea of this distance 
may be obtained, by considering, that a steam boat moving at 
the rate of 200 miles a-day, would require thirteen hundred 
years before it could traverse the space which intervenes be- 
tween us and the sun. 

" Hail sacred source of inexhausted light ! 

Prodigious instance of creating might ! 

His distance man's imagination foils ; 

Numbers will scarce avail to count the miles. 

As swift as thought he darts his radiance round 

To distant worlds, his system's utmost bound." — Brown. 

The Planet Mercury. — Mercury is the nearest planet 
to the sun that has yet been discovered. He is about 37 mil- 
lions of miles distant from the sun, and revolves around him in 
88 days. His diameter is about 3200 miles. Before the 
discovery of the four new planets, Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and 



176 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Vesta, in the beginning of the present century, this globe was 
considered as the smallest primary planet in the system. His 
surface, however, contains above 32 millions of square miles, 
which is not much less than all the habitable parts of our globe. 
On account of his nearness to the sun, he is seldom seen by 
the naked eye ; being always near that quarter of the heavens 
where the sun appears ; and therefore, few discoveries have 
been made on his surface, by the telescope. M. Schroeter 
concludes, from certain observations, that this planet revolves 
round its axis in 24 hours and five minutes. The sun will 
appear to an inhabitant of Mercury seven times larger than to 
an inhabitant of the earth ; and, if the degree of heat be in 
proportion to a planet's nearness to the sun, the heat in this 
planet will be seven times greater than on the surface of our 
globe ; and, consequently, were the earth placed in the same 
position, all the water on its surface would boil, and soon be 
turned into vapor. But the All-wise Creator has, doubtless, 
attempered the surface of this globe, and the constitution of 
the beings that may occupy it, to the situation in which they 
are placed.* 

Venus, the next planet in order from the sun, revolves 
around him in 224 days, at the distance of 6S millions of miles, 
and its diameter is about seven thousand seven hundred miles, 
or nearly the size of the earth ; and it turns round its axis in 
the space of 23 hours and 20 minutes. This planet is the 
most brilliant orb which appears in our nocturnal heavens, and 
is usually distinguished by the name of the morning and eve- 
ning star. When it approaches nearest to the earth, it is about 

* Prom a variety of facts which have been observed in relation to the 
production of caloric, it does not appear probable, that the degree of heat 
on the surfaces of the different planets is inversely proportional to the 
squares of their respective distances from the sun. It is more probable, 
that it depends chiefly on the distribution of the substance of caloric on the 
surfaces, and throughout the atmospheres of these bodies — in different 
quantities, according to the different situations they occupy in the solar 
system ; and that these different quantities of caloric are put into action 
by the influence of the solar rays, so as to produce that degree of sensible 
heat requisite for each respective planetary globe. On this hypothesis — 
which is corroborated by a great variety of facts and experiments — there 
may be no more sensible heat felt on the surface of the planet Mercury, 
than on the surface of Herschel, although one of these bodies is nearly 50 
times nearer the sun than the other. We have only to suppose that a 
small quantity of caloric exists in Mercury, and a larger quantity in Her- 
schel, proportionate to his distance from the centre of the system. On 
this ground, we have no reason to believe, either that the planets nearest 
the sun are parched with excessive heat, or that those that are most dis- 
tant are exposed to all the rigors of insufferable cold, or that the different 
degrees of temperature which may be found in these bodies, render them 
unfit for being the abodes of sensitive and intellectual beings. 






ASTRONOMY. 177 

27 millions of miles distant ; and, at its greatest distance* it is 
no less than 163 millions of miles from the earth. Were the 
whole of its enlightened surface turned towards the earth, 
when it is nearest, it would exhibit a light and brilliancy, 
twenty-five times greater than it generally does, and appear 
like a small brilliant moon ; but, at that time, its dark hemi- 
sphere is turned towards our globe. Both Yenus and Mer- 
cury, when viewed by a telescope, appear to pass successively 
through all the shapes and appearances of the moon ; some- 
times assuming a gibbous phase, and at other times, the form 
of a half-moon, or that of a crescent ; which proves, that they 
are dark bodies in themselves, and derive their light from the 
sun. The most distinct and beautiful views of Yenus, espe- 
cially when she appears as a crescent, are to be obtained in 
the day time, by means of an equatorial telescope. — From a 
variety of observations which the author has made with this 
instrument, it has been found that Yenus may be seen every 
clear day without interruption, during a period of 583 days, 
with the occasional exception of 13 days, in one case, and 
only 3 days in another — a circumstance which cannot be 
affirmed of any other celestial body, the sun only excepted,* 
M. Schroeter affirms, that he has discovered mountains on the 
surface of this globe, one of which is 10, another 11, and a 
third 22 miles high. It appears also to be encompassed w r ith 

* See Edin. Phil. Journ. No. Y. July, 1820, and No. XIII. July, 1822. 
— I have found, from observation, that this planet may be seen in "the day 
time, when only 1° 43' from the sun' 3 centre ; and, consequently, when 
its geocentric latitude at the time of the superior conjunction exceeds that 
quantity, it may be distinctly seen during the whole period of 583 days, 
excepting about 35 hours before and after its inferior conjunction. — It is 
well known to astronomers, that there has been a difference of opinion 
with respect to the 'period of the rotation of this planet. Cassini, from ob- 
servations on a bright spot which advanced 20 degrees, in 24 hours, 34 
minutes, determined the time of its rotation to be 23 hours and 20 minutes. 
On the other hand, Bianchini, from similar observations, concluded, that 
its diurnal period was 24 days and 8 hours. The difficulty of deciding 
between these two opinions, arises from the short time in which observa- 
tions can be made on this planet, either before sun-rise, or after sun-set, 
which prevents us from tracing, with accuracy, the progressive motion of 
its spots for a sufficient length of time. And, although an observer should 
mark the position of the spots, at the same hour, on two succeeding eve- 
nings, and find they had moved forward about 20 degrees in 24 hours, he 
would still be at a loss to determine, whether they had moved 20 degrees 
in all, since the preceding observation, or had finished a revolution, and 20 
degrees more. — In " Nicholson's Philosophical Journal," vol. 36, I endea- 
voured to show how this point may be determined by observations made 
on Venus in the day time, by which, in certain cases, the progressive mo- 
tion of her spots might be traced, without interruption, for 12 hours or 
more, which would completely settle the period of rotation. 

15* 



178 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

an atmosphere, the densest part of which is about 16,000 feet 
high. About twice in the course of a century, this planet 
appears to pass, like a dark spot, across the sun's disk. This 
is termed the transit of Venus. The last transit happened 
June 3, 1769 ; the next will happen on December 8, 1874, 
which will be invisible in Europe. Another will happen on 
the 6th December, 1882, which will be partly visible in Great 
Britain. 

The Earth is the next planet in the system. It moves 
round the sun in 365 days, 5 hours, and 49 minutes, at the 
distance of 95 millions of miles, and round its axis in 23 hours, 
56 minutes, 4 seconds. The former is called its annual, and 
the latter, its diurnal motion. That the earth is, in reality, a 
moving body, is a fact which can no longer be called in ques- 
tion ; it is indeed susceptible of the clearest demonstration. 
But my limits will not permit to enter into a detail of the argu- 
ments by which it is supported. I have already adverted to 
one consideration, from which its diurnal rotation may be in- 
ferred. (See pp. 47, 48.) Either the earth moves round 
its axis every day, or the whole universe moves round it in the 
same time. To suppose the latter case to be the fact, would 
involve a reflection on the wisdom of its Almighty Author, and 
would form the only exception that we know, to that beautiful 
proportion, harmony, and simplicity, which appear in all the 
works of Nature. Were it possible to construct a machine as 
large as the city of London, and to apply to it mechanical 
powers sufficient to make it revolve on an axis, so as to carry 
round a furnace for the purpose of roasting a joint of mutton, 
suspended in the centre of its motion — while we might admire 
the ingenuity and the energies displayed in its construction — 
all mankind would unite in condemning it as a display of con- 
summate folly. But such an extravagant piece of machinery 
would not be half so preposterous as to suppose, that the vast 
universe is daily revolving around our little globe, and that all 
the planetary motions have an immediate respect to it. And 
shall we dare to ascribe to Him who is " the only wise God," 
contrivances which we would pronounce to be the perfection 
of folly in mankind ? It is recorded of the Astronomer Al- 
phonsus, King of Castile, who lived in the 13th century, that, 
after having studied the Ptolemaic System, which supposes the 
earth at rest in the centre of the universe, he uttered the fol- 
lowing impious sentence : " If I had been of God's privy 
council, when he made the world, I would have advised him 
better." So that false conceptions of the System of Nature, 
lead to erroneous notions of that adorable Being who is pos- 



ASTRONOxMY. 179 

sessed of infinite Perfection. We find that bodies much larger 
than the earth have a similar rotation. The planet Jupiter, a 
globe 295,000 miles in circumference, moves round his axis in 
less than ten hours ; and^ all the other planetary bodies, on 
which spots have been discovered, are found to have a diurnal 
motion. Besides, it is found to be a universal law of nature, 
that smaller globes revolve round larger ; but there is no ex- 
ample in the universe, of a larger body revolving around a 
smaller. The moon revolves around the earth, but she is 
much smaller than the earth ; the moons which move around 
Jupiter, Saturn, and Herschel, are all less than their primaries, 
and the planets which perform their revolutions around the sun 
are much less than that central luminary. 

With regard to the annual revolution of the earth, if such a 
motion did not exist, the planetary system would present a 
scene of inextricable confusion. The planets would some- 
times move backwards, sometimes forwards, and, at other 
times, remain stationary ; and would describe looped curves, 
so anomalous and confused, that no man in his senses could 
view the All-wise Creator as the author of so much confusion. 
But, by considering the earth as revolving in an orbit between 
Yenus and Mars, (which all celestial observations completely 
demonstrate,) all the apparent irregularities of the planetary 
motions are completely solved and accounted for ; and the 
Solar System presents a scene of beauty, harmony and gran- 
deur, combined with a simplicity of design which characterizes 
all the works of Omnipotence. 

The Moon. — Next to the sun, the moon is to us the most 
interesting of all the celestial orbs. She is the constant at- 
tendant of the earth, and revolves around it, in 27 days, 8 
hours ; but the period from one new or full moon to another, 
is about 29 days, 12 hours. She is the nearest of all the 
heavenly bodies ; being only about two hundred and forty 
thousand miles distant from the earth. She is much smaller 
than the earth ; being only 2,180 miles in diameter. Her sur- 
face, when viewed with a telescope, presents an interesting 
and a variegated aspect ; being diversified with mountains, 
valleys, rocks, and plains, in every variety of form and posi- 
tion. Some of these mountains form long and elevated ridges, 
resembling the chains of the Alps and the Andes ; while 
others, of a conical form, rise to a great height, from the mid- 
dle of level plains, somewhat resembling the Peak of Tene- 
riffe. But the most singular feature of the moon, is, those cir- 
cular ridges and cavities which diversify every portion of her 
surface. A range of mountains of a circular form, rising 



180 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

three or four miles above the level of the adjacent districts, 
surrounds, like a mighty rampart, an extensive plain ; and, in 
the middle of this plain or cavity, an insulated conical hill 
rises to a considerable elevation. Several hundreds of these 
circular plains, most of which are considerably below the level 
of the surrounding country, may be perceived, with a good 
telescope, on every region of the lunar surface. They are of 
all dimensions, from two or three miles to forty miles in dia- 
meter ; and, if they be adorned with verdure, they must pre- 
sent to the view of a spectator, placed, among them, a more 
variegated, romantic, and sublime scenery than is to be found 
on the surface of our globe. An idea of some of these scenes 
may be acquired by conceiving a plain of about a hundred 
miles in circumference, encircled with a range of mountains, 
of various forms, three miles in perpendicular height, and hav- 
ing a mountain near the centre, whose top reaches a mile and 
a half above the level of the plain. From the top of this cen- 
tral mountain, the whole plain, with all its variety of objects, 
would be distinctly visible ; and the view would appear to be 
bounded on all sides by a lofty amphitheatre of mountains, in 
every diversity of shape, rearing their summits to the sky. 
From the summit of the circular ridge, the conical hill in the 
centre, the opposite circular range, the plain below, and somo 
of the adjacent plains, which encompass the exterior ridge of 
the mountains, would form another variety of view ; — and a 
third variety would be obtained from the various aspects of the 
central mountain, and the surrounding scenery, as viewed from 
the plains below. 

The Lunar mountains are of all sizes, from a furlong to five 
miles in perpendicular elevation. Certain luminous spots, 
which have been occasionally seen on the dark side of the 
moon, seem to demonstrate that fire exists in this planet. Dr. 
Herschel, and several other astronomers suppose, that they 
are volcanoes in a state of eruption. It would be a more 
pleasing idea, and perhaps as nearly corresponding to fact, to 
suppose, that these phenomena are owing to some occasional 
splendid illuminations, produced by the Lunar inhabitants, 
during their long nights. Such a scene as the burning of Mos- 
cow, the conflagration of an extensive forest, or the splendid 
illumination of a large city with gas-lights, might present simi- 
lar appearances to a spectator in the moon. — The bright spots 
of the moon are the mountainous regions : the dark spots are 
the plains, or more level parts of her surface. There may 
probably be rivers or small lakes on this planet ; but there are 
no seas or large collections of water. It appears highly 



ASTRONOMY. 181 

probable, from the observations of Schroeter, that the moon is 
encompassed with an atmosphere ; but no clouds, rain, nor 
snow seem to exist in it. The illuminating power of the light 
derived from the moon, according to the experiments made by 
Professor Leslie, is about the one hundred and fifty thousandth 
fart of the illuminating power of the sun. According to the 
experiments of M. Boguer, it is only as 1 to 300,000. 

The Moon always presents the same face to us ; which 
proves, that she revolves round her axis in the same time that 
she revolves round the earth. As this orb derives its light 
from the sun, and reflects a portion of it upon the earth, so the 
earth performs the same office to the moon. A spectator on 
the lunar surface would behold the earth, like a luminous orb, 
suspended in the vault of heaven, presenting a surface about 
13 times larger than the moon does to us, and appearing some- 
times gibbous," sometimes horned, and at other times with a 
round full face. The light which the earth reflects upon the 
dark' side of the moon may be distinctly perceived by a com- 
mon telescope, from three, to six or eight days after the 
change. — The lunar surface contains about 15 millions of 
square miles, and is, therefore, capable of containing a popula- 
tion equal to that of our globe, allowing only about 53 inhabit- 
ants to every square mile. That this planet is inhabited by 
sensitive and intelligent beings, there is every reason to con- 
clude, from a consideration of the sublime scenery with which 
its surface is adorned, and of the general beneficence of the 
Creator, w T ho appears to have left no large portion of his ma- 
terial creation without animated existences ; and it is highly 
probable, that direct proofs of the moon's being inhabited may 
hereafter be obtained, when all the varieties on her surface shall 
have been more minutely explored.* 

The Planet Mars. — Next to the earth and moon, the 
planet Mars performs his revolution round the sun, in one 
year and ten months, to the distance of 145 millions of miles. 
His diameter is about 4,200 miles, and he is distinguished 
from all the other planets, by his ruddy appearance, which is 
owing to a dense atmosphere with which he is environed. 
With a good telescope, his surface appears diversified by a va- 
riety of spots ; by the motion of which it is found, that he turns 
round his axis in 24 hours and 40 minutes. The inclination 
of his axis to the plane of his orbit being about 28° 42', the 
days and nights, and the different seasons in this planet, will 
Dear a considerable resemblance to those we experience in our 

* See Appendix. No, III. 



182 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

terrestrial sphere.* At his nearest approach to the earth, his 
distance from us is about 50 millions of miles ; and, at his 
greatest distance, he is about 240 millions of miles ; so that 
in the former case he appears nearly 25 times larger than in 
the latter. To a spectator in this planet, our earth will appear, 
alternately, as a morning and evening star, and will exhibit all 
the phases of the moon, just as Venus does to us, but with a 
less degree of apparent magnitude and splendor. A luminous 
zone has been observed about the poles of Mars, which is 
subject to successive changes. Dr. Herschel supposes that 
it is produced by the reflection of the sun's light from his frozen 
regions, and that the melting of these masses of polar ice is the 
cause of the variation in its magnitude and appearance. This 
planet moves, in its orbit, at the rate of fifty-five thousand miles 
an hour. 

The new Planets. — Between the orbs of Mars and Ju- 
piter, four planetary bodies have been lately discovered, ac- 
companied with circumstances somewhat different from those 
of the other bodies which compose our system. They are 
named Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta. The planet Ceres 
was discovered at Palermo, in Sicily, by M. Piazzi, on the 
first day of the present century. It is of a ruddy color, and 
appears about the size of a star of the 8th magnitude, and is 
consequently invisible to the naked eye. It performs its revo- 
lution in 4 years and 7 months, at the distance of 260 millions 
of miles from the sun, and is reckoned, by some astronomers, 
to be about 1624 miles in diameter, or about half the diameter 
of Mercury. It appears to be surrounded with a large dense 
atmosphere. — Pallas was discovered the following year, name- 
ly, on the 28th of March, 1802, by Dr. Olbers of Bremen. 
It is supposed to be about 2000 miles in diameter, or nearly 
the size of the moon. It revolves about the sun in 4 years 
and 7 months, or nearly in the same time as Ceres, at the dis- 
tance of 266 millions of miles ; and is surrounded with a 
nebulosity or atmosphere, above 400 miles in height, similar 
to that of Ceres. The planet Juno was discovered on the 1st 
September, 1804, by Mr. Harding of Bremen. Its mean 
distance from the sun is about 253 millions of miles ; its revo- 
tion is completed in 4 years and 130 days, and its diameter is 
computed to be about 1425 miles. It is free from the nebu- 

* The inclination of the earth's axis to the eclip'ic, or, in other words, 
to the plane of its annual orbit, is 23 degrees and 28 minutes, which is the 
cause of the diversity of seasons, and of the different length of days and 
nights. Were the axis of the earth perpendicular to its orbit, as is the case 
with the planet Jupiter, there would be no diversity of seasons. 



ASTRONOMY. 183 

losity which surrounds Pallas, and is distinguished from all the 
other planets by the great eccentricity of its orbit ; being, at 
its least distance from the sun, only 189 millions of miles, and 
at its greatest distance 316 millions. — Vesta was discovered 
by Dr. Olbers on the 29th March, 1807. It appears like a 
star of the 5th or 6th magnitude, and may sometimes be dis- 
tinguished by the naked eye. Its light is more intense and 
white than any of the other three, and it is not surrounded with 
any nebulosity. It is distant from the sun about 225 millions 
of miles, and completes its revolution in 3 years and 240 days. 
Its diameter has not yet been accurately ascertained ; but 
from the intensity of its light, and other circumstances, it is 
concluded, that it exceeds in magnitude both Pallas and Juno. 
These planetary globes present to our view a variety of 
anomalies and singularities, which appear incompatible with 
the regularity, proportion, and harmony which were formerly 
supposed to characterize the arrangements of the solar sys- 
tem. — They are bodies much smaller in size than the other 
planets— they revolve nearly at the same distances from the sun, 
and perform their revolutions in nearly the same periods — their 
orbits are much more eccentric, and have a much greater degree 
of inclination to the ecliptic, than those of the old planets — 
and, what is altogether singular, (except in case of comets,) 
their orbits cross each other ; so that there is a possibility that 
two of these bodies might happen to interfere, and to strike 
each other, in the course of their revolutions. The orbit of 
Ceres crosses the orbit of Pallas. Vesta may sometimes be 
at a greater distance from the sun than either Ceres, Pallas or 
Juno, although its mean distance is less than that of either of 
them, by several millions of miles ; so that the orbit of Vesta 
crosses the orbits of all the other three. From these and other 
circumstances, it has, with a high degree of probability, been 
concluded — that these four planets are the fragments of a large 
celestial body which once revolved between Mars and Ju- 
piter, and which had been burst asunder by some immense 
irruptive force. This idea seems to have occurred to Dr. 
Olbers after he had discovered the planet Pallas, and he ima- 
gined that other fragments might possibly exist. He con- 
cluded, that, if they all diverged from the same point, " they 
ought to have two common points of reunion, or two nodes in 
opposite regions of the heavens, through which all the plane- 
tary fragments must sooner or later pass." One of these 
nodes he found to be in the constellation Virgo, and the other 
in the Whale ; and it is a remarkable coincidence, that it was 
in the latter of these regions that the planet Juno was discov 



184 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

ered by Mr. Harding. In order to detect the remaining frag- 
ments (if any existed) Dr. Olbers examined, three times every 
year, ajl the small stars in Yirgo and the Whale ; and it was 
actually in the constellation Yirgo, that he discovered the planet 
Yesta. It is not unlikely that other fragments of a similar de- 
scription may be discovered. Dr. Brewster attributes the fall 
of meteoric stones* to the smaller fragments of these bodies 
happening to come within the sphere of the earth's attraction. 
His ingenious reasonings on this subject, and in support of 
Dr. Gibers' hypothesis above stated, may be seen in Edin. 
Ency. vol. ii. p. 641, and in his " Supplementary chapters to 
Ferguson's Astronomy." 

The fact to which I have now adverted seem to unfold a new 
scene in the history of the dispensations of the Almighty, and 
to warrant the conclusion, that the earth is not the only globe 
in the universe which is subject to physical changes and moral 
revolutions. 

The Planet Jupiter. — This planet is 490 millions of 
miles distant from the sun, and performs its annual revolution 
in nearly twelve of our years, moving at the rate of twenty- 
nine thousand miles an hour. It is the largest planet in the 
solar system ; being S9,000 miles in diameter, or about four- 
teen hundred times larger than the earth. Its motion round 
its axis is performed in nine hours and fifty-six minutes ; and, 
therefore, the portions of its surface about the equator, move 
at the rate 28,000 miles an hour, which is nearly twenty-seven 
times swifter than the earth's diurnal rotation. The figure 
of Jupiter is that of an oblate spheroid, the axis, or diameter 
passing through the poles, being about 6000 miles shorter 
than that passing through the equator. The Earth, Saturn, 

* Meteoric stones, or, what are generally termed aerolites, are stones 
which sometimes fall from the upper regions of the atmosphere, upon the 
earth. The substance of which they are composed is, for the most part, 
metallic ; but the ore of which they consist is not to be found in the same 
constituent proportions in any terrestrial substances. Their fall is generally 
preceded by a luminous appearance, a hissing noise, and a loud explosion ; 
and, when found immediately after their descent, are always hot. Their 
size differs from small fragments, of inconsiderable weight, to the most 
ponderous masses. Some of the largest portions of these stones have been 
found to weigh from 300 lbs. to several tons ; and they have often descend- 
ed to the earth with a force sufficient to bury them many feet under the 
soil. Some have supposed that these bodies are projected from volcanoes 
in the moon ; others, that they proceed from volcanoes on the earth ; while 
others imagine that they are generated in the regions of the atmosphere ; 
but the true cause is, probably, not yet ascertained. In some instances, 
these stones have penetrated through the roofs of houses, and proved de- 
structive to the inhabitants. 



ASTRONOMY. 185 

and Mars, are also spheroids ; and it is highly probably that 
Mercury, Venus, and Herschel are of a similar figure, though 
the fact has not yet been ascertained by actual observation. — 
When viewed with a telescope, several spots have been occa- 
sionally discovered on the surface of this planet, by the mo- 
tion of which, its rotation was determined. 

But what chiefly distinguishes the surface of Jupiter is 
several streaky appearances, or dusky strips, which extend 
across his disk, in lines parallel to his equator. These are 
generally termed his Belts. Three of these belts, or zones, 
nearly equi-distant from each other, are most frequently ob- 
served ; but they are not regular or constant in their appear- 
ance.* Sometimes only one is to be seen, sometimes five, 
and sometimes seven or eight have been distinctly visible ; 
and, in the latter case, two of them have been known to dis- 
appear during the time of observation. On the 28th May, 
1780, Dr. Herschel perceived "the whole surface of Jupiter 
covered with small curved belts, or rather lines, that were not 
continuous across his disk." Though these belts are gener- 
ally parallel to each other, yet they are not always so. Their 
breadth is likewise variable ; one belt having been observed to 
grow narrow, while another in its neighborhood has increased 
in breadth, as if the one had flowed into the other. The time 
of their continuance is also uncertain; sometimes they remain 
unchanged for several months, at other times, new belts have 
been formed in an hour or two. What these belts or variable 
appearances are it is difficult to determine. Some have regard- 
ed them as strata of clouds floating in the atmosphere of Ju- 
piter ; while others imagine, that they are the marks of great 
physical revolutions which are perpetually changing the sur- 
face of that planet. The former opinion appears the most 
probable. But, whatever be the nature of these belts, the sud- 
den changes to which they are occasionally subject, seem to 
indicate the rapid operation of some powerful physical agency; 
for some of them are more than ^\e thousand miles in breadth; 
and since they have been known to disappear in the space of 
an hour or two, and even during the time of a casual observa- 
tion — agents more powerful than any with which we are ac- 
quainted must have produced so extensive an effect. 

Jupiter is attended by four satellites or moons, which present 

* A representation of these belts, in the positions in which they most 
frequently appear, is exhibited in the engraving, Fig. 2. Fig. 1. represents 
the double ring of Saturn, as it appears when viewed through a powerful 
telescope — Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, represent Saturn, Jupiter, Herschel, 
the Earth and Moon, in their relative sizes and proportions. 

16 



186 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

a very beautiful appearance when viewed through a telescope. 
The first moon, or that nearest the planet, it 230,000 miles 
distant from its centre, and goes round it in 421 hours ; and 
will appear from its surface, four times larger than our moon 
does to us. The second moon, being farther distant, will ap- 
pear about the size of ours ; the third, somewhat less ; and 
the fourth, which is a million of miles distant from Jupiter, and 
takes sixteen days to go round him, will appear only about one 
third the diameter of our moon. These moons suffer frequent 
eclipses from passing through Jupiter's shadow, in the same 
way as our moon is eclipsed by passing through the shadow of 
the earth. By the eclipses of these moons, the motion of 
light was ascertained ; and they are found to be of essential 
use in determining the longitude of places on the surface of 
our globe. This planet, if seen from its nearest moon, will 
present a surface a thousand times as large as our moon does 
to us, and will appear in the form of a crescent, a half-moon, 
a gibbous phase, and a full-moon, in regular succession, every 
42 hours. Jupiter's axis being nearly perpendicular to his 
orbit, he has no sensible change of seasons, such as we expe 
rience on the earth. Were we placed on the surface of this 
planet, with the limited powers of vision we now possess, our 
earth and moon would entirely disappear, as if they were 
blotted out from the map of creation ; and the inhabitants of 
these regions must have much better eyes than ours, if they 
know that there is such a globe as the earth in the universe. 

The planet Saturn. — This planet is 900 millions of 
miles distant from the sun, being nearly double the distance of 
Jupiter. Its diameter is 79,000 miles, and, consequently, it 
is more than nine hundred times the bulk of the earth. It 
takes 29i years to complete its revolution about the sun ; but 
its diurnal motion is completed in ten hours and sixteen 
minutes ; so that the year in this planet is nearly thirty times 
the length of ours, while the day is shorter, by more than one 
half. The year, therefore, contains about twenty-five thou- 
sand one hundred and fifty days, or periods of its diurnal rota- 
tion, which is equal to. 10,759 of our days. Saturn is of a 
spheroidal figure, or somewhat of the shape of an orange ; his 
equatorial being more than six thousand miles longer than his 
polar diameter. His surface, like that of Jupiter, is diversified 
with belts and dark spots. Dr. Herschel, at certain times, 
perceived five belts on his surface, three of which were dark, 
and two bright. The dark belts had a yellowish tinge, and 
generally covered a larger zone of the disk of Saturn, than th6 
belts of Jupiter occupy upon his surface. On account of the 



ASTRONOMY. 187 

great distance of this planet from the sun, the light it receives 
from that luminary is only the ninetieth part of what we enjoy ; 
but, by calculation, it is found, that this quantity is a thousand 
times greater than the light which the full moon affords to 
us. Besides, it is surrounded by no fewer than seven moons, 
which supply it with light in the absence of the sun. Five of 
these moons were discovered during the seventeenth century, 
by Huygens and Cassini ; and the sixth and seventh were dis- 
covered by Dr. Herschel, in 1789, soon after his large forty 
feet reflecting telescope was constructed. These moons, and 
also those which accompany Jupiter, are estimated to be not 
less than the earth in magnitude, and are found, like our moon, 
to revolve round their axis in the same time in which they 
revolve about their respective primaries. 

Rings of Saturn. — The most extraordinary circumstance 
connected with this planet, is, the phenomenon of a double 
ring, which surrounds its body, but nowhere touches it, being 
thirty thousand miles distant from any part of the planet, and 
is carried along with the planet in its circuit round the sun. 
This is the most singular and astonishing object in the whole 
range of the planetary system ; no other planet being found 
environed with so wonderful an appendage ; and the planets 
which may belong to other systems, being placed beyond the 
reach of our observations, no idea can be formed of the pecu- 
liar apparatus with which any of them may be furnished. This 
double ring consists of two concentric rings, detached from 
each other ; the innermost of which is nearly three times as 
broad as the outermost. The outside diameter of the exterior 
ring is 204,000 miles ; and, consequently, its circumference 
will measure six hundred and forty thousand miles, or eighty 
times the diameter of our globe. Its breadth is 7,200 miles, 
or nearly the diameter of the earth. Were four hundred and 
fifty globes, of the size of the earth, placed close to one 
another, on a plane, this immense ring would enclose the whole 
of them, together with all the interstices, or open spaces be- 
tween the different globes. The outside diameter of the inner- 
most ring is 184,000 miles, and its breadth twenty thousand 
miles, or about 21 times broader than the diameter of the 
earth. The dark space, or interval between the two rings, is 
2,800 miles. The breadth of both the rings, including the 
dark space between them, is thirty thousand miles, which is 
equal to the distance of the innermost ring from the body of 
Saturn. 

The following figure represents a view of Saturn and his 
rings, as they would appear, were our eye perpendicular to 



188 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



one of the planes of those rings ; but our eye is never so 
much elevated above either plane, as to have the visual ray 
standing at right angles to it : it is never elevated more than 
30 degrees above the planes of the rings. When we view 
Saturn through a telescope, we always see the ring at an 
oblique angle, so that it appears of an oval form, the outward 




circular rim being projected into an ellipsis more or less 
oblong, according to the different degrees of obliquity with 
which it is viewed, as will be seen in the figure of Saturn in 
the copperplate engraving. 

These rings cast a deep shadow upon the planet, which 
proves that they are not shining fluids, but composed of solid 
matter. They appear to be possessed of a higher reflective 
power than the surface of Saturn ; as the light reflected by 
them is more brilliant than that of the planet. One obvious 
use of this double ring is, to reflect light upon the planet, in 
the absence of the sun : what other purposes it may be intend- 
ed to subserve, in the system of Saturn, is, at present, to us 
unknown. The sun illuminates one side of it during fifteen 
years, or one-half of the period of the planet's revolution ; and, 
during the next fifteen years, the other side is enlightened in 
its turn. Twice in the course of thirty years, there is a short 



ASTRONOMY. 189 

period j during which neither side is enlightened, and when, of 
course, it ceases to be visible ; — namely, at the time when the 
sun ceases to shine on one side, and is about to shine on the 
other. It revolves round its axis, and, consequently, around 
Saturn, in ten hours and a half, which is at the rate of a thou- 
sand miles in a minute, or fifty-eight times swifter than the 
earth's equator. When viewed from the middle zone of the 
planet, in the absence of the sun, the rings will appear like vast 
luminous arches, extending along the canopy of heaven, from 
the eastern to the western horizon ; having an apparent 
breadth equal to a hundred times the apparent diameter of our 
moon, and will be seen darkened about the middle, by the 
shadow of Saturn.* 

There is no other planet in the solar system, whose firma- 
ment will present such a variety of splendid and magnificent 
objects, as that of Saturn. The various aspects of his seven 
moons, one rising above the horizon, while another is setting, 
and a third approaching to the meridian ; one entering into an 
eclipse, and another emerging from it ; one appearing as a 
crescent, and another with a gibbous phase ; and some- 
times the whole of them shining in the same hemisphere, in 
one bright assemblage ; — the majestic motions of the rings, — 
at one time illuminating the sky with their splendour, and 
eclipsing the stars ; at another, casting a deep shade over cer- 
tain regions of the planet, and unveiling to view the wonders 
of the starry firmament — are scenes worthy of the majesty of 
the Divine Being to unfold, and of rational creatures to contem- 
plate. Such magnificent displays of Wisdom and Omnipo- 
tence, lead us to conclude that the numerous splendid objects 
connected with this planet, were not created merely to shed 
their lustre on naked rocks and barren sands ; but that an im- 
mense population of intelligent beings is placed in those re- 
gions, to enjoy the bounty, and to adore the perfections of 
their great Creator. — The double ring of Saturn, when viewed 
through a good telescope, generally appears like a luminous 
handle on each side of the planet, with a dark interval between 
the interior edge of the ring, and the convex body of Saturn; 
which is owing to its oblique position with respect to our line 
of vision. When its outer edge is turned directly towards the 

* See the Engraving, fig. 7, which represents a view of the appearance 
which the rings and moons of Saturn will exhibit, in certain cases, about 
midnight, when beheld from a point 20 or 30 degrees north from his equa- 
tor. The shade on the upper part of the rings represents the shadow of 
the body Saturn. The shadow will appear to move gradually to the west 
as the morning approaches. 

16* 



t90 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, 

earth, it becomes invisible, or appears like a dark stripe across 
the disk of the planet. This phenomenon happens once every 
fifteen years. 

The Planet Herschel. — This planet, which is also 
known by the names of the Georgium Sidus, and Uranus, 
was discovered by Dr. Herschel on the 13th March, 1781. 
It is the most distant planet from the sun, that has yet been dis- 
covered ; being removed at no less than 1800 millions of miles 
from that luminary, which is nineteen times farther than the 
earth is from the sun — a distance so great, that a cannon ball, 
flying at the rate of 480 miles an hour, would not reach it in 
400 years. Its diameter is about 35,000 miles ; and, of 
course, it is about eighty times larger than the earth. It ap- 
pears like a star of the sixth magnitude ; but can seldom be 
distinguished by the naked eye. It takes about 83 years and 
a half to complete its revolution round the sun ; and* though it 
is the slowest moving body in the system, it moves at the rate 
of 15,000 miles an hour. As the degree of sensible heat in 
any planet does not appear to depend altogether on its near- 
ness to the sun, the temperature of this planet may be as mild 
as that which obtains in the most genial climate of our globe.* 
The diameter of the sun, as seen from Herschel, is little more 
than the apparent diameter of Venus, as seen by the naked 
eye ; and the light which it receives from that luminary, is 
360 times less than what we experience ; yet this proportion 
is found by calculation to be equal to the effect which would 
be produced by 248 of our full moons ; and, in the absence of 
the sun, there are six moons which reflect light upon this dis- 
tant planet, all of which were discovered likewise by Dr. Her- 
schel. Small as the proportion of light is* which this planet 
receives from the sun, it is easy to conceive, that beings simi- 
lar to man, placed on the surface of this globe, with a slight 
modification of their organs of vision, might be made to per- 
ceive objects with a clearness and distinctness even superior 
to what we can do. We have only to suppose, that the Crea- 
tor has formed their eyes with pupils capable of a much larger 
expansion than ours ; and has endued their retina with a much 
greater degree of nervous sensibility. At all events, we may 
rest assured, that He who has placed sentient beings in any 
region, has, by laws with which we are partly unacquainted, 
adapted the constitution of the inhabitant to the nature of the 
habitation. 

* See Note, page 176. 



ASTRONOMY*. 191 

" Strange and amazing must the difference be, 
'Twixt this dull planet and bright Mercury; 
Yet reason says, nor can we doubt at all, 
Millions of beings dwell on either ball, 
With constitutions fitted for that spot 
Where Providence, all- wise, has fixed their lot."* 

Baker's Universe. 

The celestial globes which I have now described, are all 
the planets which are at present known to belong to the solar 
system. It is probable that other planetary bodies may yet 
be discovered between the orbits of Saturn and Herschel, and 
even far beyond the orbit of the latter ; and it is also not im- 
probable that planets may exist in the immense interval of 37 
millions of miles between Mercury and the Sun.* These (if 
any exist) can be detected only by a aeries of day observa- 
tions, made with equatorial telescopes ; as they could not be 
supposed to be seen, after sun-set, on account of their proxi- 
mity to the sun. Five primary^ planets, and eight secondaries, 
have been discovered within the last 42 years ; and, therefore, 
we have no reason to conclude, that all the bodies belonging 
to our system have yet been detected, till every region of the 
heavens be more fully explored. 

Comets. — Besides the planetary globes to which I have 
now adverted, there is a class of celestial bodies which occa- 
sionally appear in the heavens, to which the name of Comets 
has been given. They are distinguished from the other ce- 
lestial bodies, by their ruddy appearance, and by a long train 
of light, called the tail, which sometimes extends over a con- 
siderable portion of the heavens, and which is so transparent, 
that the stars may be seen through it. The tail is always di- 
rected to that part of the heavens which is opposite to the sun, 
and increases in size as it approaches him, and is again gra- 
dually diminished, as the comet flies off to the more distant 
regions of space. Their apparent magnitude is very different : 

* The Author, some years ago, described a method by which the pla* 
nets (if any) within the orbit of Mercury, may be discovered in the day- 
time, by means of a simple contrivance for intercepting the solar rays, and 
by the frequent application, by a number of observers, of powerful tele- 
scopes, to a certain portion of the sky, in the vicinity of the sun. The de- 
tails of this plan have not yet been published ; but the reader will see 
them alluded to in No. V. of the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, for 
July, 1820, p. 191. 

f A primary planet is that which revolves round the sun as a centre ; as 
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. A secondary planet is one which revolves 
round a primary planet as its centre ; as the Moon, and the satellites of 
Jupiter and Saturn. The primary planets are distinguished from the 
fixed stars, by the steadiness of their light j not having a twinkling ap- 
pearance, as the stars exhibit. 



192 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

sometimes they appear only of the bigness of the fixed 
stars ; at other times they equal the diameter of Venus ; and 
sometimes they have appeared nearly as large as the Moon. 
They traverse the heavens in all directions, and cross the 
orbits of the planets. When examined through a telescope, 
they appear to consist of a dark central nucleus, surrounded 
by a dense atmosphere, or mass of vapors. They have been 
ascertained to move in long narrow ellipses or ovals, around 
the sun ; some of them, on their nearest approach to him, 
having been within a million of miles of his centre ; and then 
fly off to a region several thousands of millions of miles dis- 
tant. When near the sun, they move with amazing velocity. 
The velocity of the comet which appeared in 1680, according 
to Sir Isaac Newton's calculation, was eight hundred and 
eighty thousand miles an hour. They appear to be bodies of 
no great density, and their size seldom exceeds that of the 
moon. The length of the tails of some comets has been esti- 
mated at fifty millions of miles. According to Dr. Herschel's 
computations, the solid nucleus, or central part of the comet 
which appeared in 1811, was only 428 miles in diameter ; but 
the real diameter of the head, or nebulous portion of the comet, 
he computed to be about 127 thousand miles. The length of 
its tail he computed to be above one hundred millions of miles, 
and its breadth nearly fifteen millions. It was nearest to the 
earth on the 11th October, when its distance was 113 millions 
of miles. The number of comets which have occasionally 
been seen within the limits of our system, since the com- 
mencement of the Christian era, is about 500, of which the 
paths or orbits of 98 have been calculated. 

As these bodies cross the paths of the planets in every di- 
rection, there is a possibility, that some of them might strike 
against the earth in their approach to the sun ; and, were this 
to happen, the consequences would be awful beyond descrip- 
tion. But we may rest assured that that Almighty Being who 
at first launched them into existence, directs all their motions, 
however complicated ; and that the earth shall remain secure 
against all such concussions from celestial agents, till the pur- 
poses of his moral government in this world shall be fully ac- 
complished. What regions these bodies visit, when they pass 
beyond the limits of our view ; upon what errands they are 
sent, when they again revisit the central parts of our system ; 
what is the difference in their physical constitution, from that 
of the sun and planets ; and what important ends they are 
destined to accomplish, in the economy of the universe, are 
inquiries which naturally arise in the mind, but which surpass 



ASTRONOMT 193 

the limited powers of the human understanding at present 
to determine. Of this, however, we may rest assured, that 
they were not created in vain ; that they subserve purposes 
worthy of the infinite Creator ; and that wherever he has ex- 
erted his power, there also he manifests his Wisdom and Be 
neficence.* 

Such is a general outline of the leading facts connected 
with that system of which we form a part. Though the ener- 
gies of Divine Power had never been exerted beyond the 
limits of this system, it would remain an eternal monument 
of the Wisdom and Omnipotence of its Author. Independent 
of the Sun, which is like a vast universe in itself, and of the 
numerous comets which are continually traversing its distant 
regions, it contains a mass of material existence, arranged in 
the most beautiful order, two thousand five hundred times 
larger than our globe. From late observations, there is the 
strongest reason to conclude, that the sun, along with all this 
vast assemblage of bodies, is carried through the regions of 
the universe, towards some distant point of space, or around 
some wide circumference, at the rate of more than sixty thou- 
sand miles an hour ; and if so, it is highly probable, if not ab- 
solutely certain, that we shall never again occupy that portion 
of absolute sjjace, through which we are this moment passing, 
during all the succeeding ages of eternity. 

Such a glorious system must have been brought into ex- 
istence, to subserve purposes worthy of the Infinite Wisdom 
and Benevolence of the Creator. To suppose that the dis- 
tant globes, of which it is composed, with their magnificent 
apparatus of Rings and Moons, were created merely for the 
purpose of affording a few astronomers, in these latter times, 
a peep of them through their glasses, would be inconsistent 
with every principle of reason ; and would be charging Him 
who is the source of Wisdom, with conduct which we would 
pronounce to be folly in the sons of men. . Since it appears, 
so far as our observation extends, that matter exists solely for 
the sake of sensitive and intelligent beings, and that the Crea- 

* A comet has lately been discovered, whose periodical revolution is 
found to be only 3 years and 107 days. At its greatest distance from the 
sun, it is within the orbit of Jupiter, and it possesses this peculiar advan- 
tage for observation, that it will become visible ten times in thirty-three 
years. It was last seen in June, 1822, by the astronomers in the observa- 
tory of Paramatta, New Holland, in positions very near to those which 
had been previously calculated by Mr. Enke. It is probable, that the 
observations which may hereafter be made on this comet, will lead to more 
definite and accurate views of the nature and destination of these singular 
ladies. 



194 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

tor made nothing in vain ; it is a conclusion to which we are 
necessarily led, that the planetary globes are inhabited by 
various orders of intellectual beings, who participate in the 
bounty, and celebrate the glory of their Creator. 

When this idea is taken into consideration, it gives a striking 
emphasis to such sublime declarations of the Sacred Volume 
as these : — "* All nations before him are as nothing — He sit- 
teth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof 
are as grasshoppers — The nations are as the drop of a bucket 
— All the inhabitants of the world are reputed as nothing in 
his sight ; and he doth according to his will in the army of 
heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth — Thou hast 
made heaven, and the heaven of heavens, with all their host ; 
and thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven ivorship- 
peth thee — When I consider thy heavens, what is man, that 
thou art mindful of him I" If the race of Adam were the 
principal intelligences in the universe of God, such passages 
would be stripped of all their sublimity, would degenerate into 
mere hyperboles, and be almost without meaning. If man 
were the only rational being who inhabited the material 
world, as some arrogantly imagine, it would be no wonder at 
all, that God should be " mindful of him ;" nor could " all the 
inhabitants of this world," with any propriety, be compared to 
" a drop of a bucket," and be " reputed as nothing in his 
sight."— Such declarations would be contrary to fact, if this 
supposition were admitted ; for it assumes that man holds the 
principal station in the visible universe. The expressions 
— " The heavens, the heaven of heavens," and " the host of 
heaven worshipping God," would also, on this supposition, de- 
generate into something approaching to mere inanity. These 
expressions, if they signify any thing that is worthy of an In- 
spired Teacher to communicate, evidently imply, that the 
universe is vast and extensive, beyond the range of human 
comprehension— -that it is peopled with myriads of inhabitants 
— that these inhabitants are possessed of intellectual natures, 
capable of appreciating the perfections of their Creator — and 
that they pay him a tribute of rational adoration. " The host 
of heaven worshippeth thee." So that the language of Scrip- 
ture is not only consistent with the doctrine of a plurality of 
worlds, but evidently supposes their existence to all the extent 
to which modern science can carry us. However vast the 
universe now appears — however numerous the worlds and 
systems of worlds, which may exist within its boundless range 
— the language of Scripture is sufficiently comprehensive and 
sublime, to express all the emotions which naturally arise in 



ASTRONOMY. 195 

the mind, when contemplating its structure — a characteristic 
which will apply to no other book, or pretended revelation. 
And this consideration shows not only the harmony which 
subsists between the discoveries of Revelation and the dis- 
coveries of Science, but also forms by itself, a strong pre- 
sumptive evidence, that the Records of the Bible are authentic 
and divine.* Vast as the Solar System, we have now been 
contemplating, may appear, it is but a mere point in the map 
of creation. To a spectator placed in one of the stars of the 
seventh magnitude, not only the glories of this world, and the 
more resplendent scenes of the planet Saturn, but even the 
sun himself would entirely disappear, as if he were blotted out 
of existence. " Were the sun," says Mr. Addison, " which 
enlightens this part of the creation, with all the host of the 
planetary worlds that move about him, utterly extinguished 
and annihilated, they would not be missed by an eye that could 
take in the whole compass of nature, more than a grain of 
sand upon the sea shore. The space they possess is so ex- 
ceedingly little, in comparison of the whole, that it would 
scarce make a blank in creation." 

The Fixed Stars. — When we pass from the planetary 
system to other regions of creation, we have to traverse, in 
imagination, a space so immense, that it has hitherto baffled 
all the efforts of science to determine its extent. In these 
remote and immeasurable spaces, are placed those immense 
luminous bodies usually denominated the fixed stars. The 
nearest stars are, on good grounds, concluded to be at least 
twenty billions of miles distant from our globe — a distance 
through which light (the swiftest body in nature) could not 
travel in the space of three years ; and which a ball, moving 
at the rate of 500 miles an hour, would not traverse in foui 
millions five hundred thousand years, or 750 times the period 
which has elapsed since the Mosaic creation. But how far 
they may be placed beyond this distance, no astronomer will 
pretend to determine. The following consideration will prove, 
to those unacquainted with the mathematical principles of 
astronomy, that the stars are placed at an immeasurable dis- 
tance. When they are viewed through a telescope which 
magnifies objects a thousand times, they appear no larger than 
to the naked eye ; which circumstance shows, that though we 
were placed at the thousandth part of the distance from them 
at which we now are, they would still appear only as so many 
shining points ; for we should still be distant from the nearest 

* See Appendix, No. VI. 



196 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

of them, twenty thousand millions of miles : or, in other words, 
were we transported several thousands of millions of miles 
from the spot we now occupy, though their numbers would 
appear exceedingly increased, they would appear no larger 
than they do from our present station ; and we behooved to 
be carried forward thousands of millions of miles further in a 
long succession, before their disks appeared to expand into 
large circles, like the moon. Dr. Herschel viewed the stars 
with telescopes, magnifying six thousand times, yet they still 
appeared only as brilliant points, without any sensible disks, 
or increase of diameter. This circumstance incontestibly 
proves the two following things : — 1. That the stars are 
luminous bodies, which shine by their own native light ; other- 
wise they could not be perceived at such vast distances. 
2. That they are bodies of an immense size, not inferior to 
the sun ; and many of them, it is probable, far exceed that 
luminary in bulk and splendor. 

The stars, on account of the difference in their apparent 
magnitudes, have been distributed into several classes or 
orders. Those which appear largest are called stars cf the 
first magnitude ; next to those in lustre, stars of the second 
magnitude, and so on to stars of the sixth magnitude, which 
are the smallest that can be distinguished by the naked eye. 
Stars of the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, &c. magnitudes, which cannot 
be seen by the naked eye, are distinguished by the name of 
telescopic stars. Not more than a thousand stars can be dis- 
tinguished by the naked eye, in the clearest winter's night ; 
but, by means of the telescope, millions have been discovered. 
(See p. 39.) — And, as it is probable, that, by far the greater 
part lie beyond the reach of the best glasses which have been, 
or ever will be constructed by man — the real number of the 
stars may be presumed to be beyond all human calculation 
or conception, and perhaps beyond the grasp of angelic com 
prehension. 

In consequence of recent discoveries, we have now the 
strongest reason to believe, that all the stars in the universe 
are arranged into clusters, or groupes, which astronomers 
distinguish by the name of Nebulae or Starry Systems, 
each nebula consisting of many thousands of stars. The 
nearest nebula is that whitish space or zone, which is known by 
the name of the JWilky Way, to which our sun is supposed to 
belong. It consists of many hundreds of thousands of stars. 
When Dr. Herschel examined this region, with his powerful 
telescopes, he found a portion of it only 15 degrees long and 
2 broad, which contained fifty thousand stars large enough to 



ASTRONOMY. 197 

be distinctly counted ; and he suspected twice as many more, 
which, for want of sufficient light in his telescope, he saw only 
now and then. More than two thousand five hundred nebulae 
have already been observed ; and, if each of them contain as 
many stars as the Milky Way, several hundreds of millions of 
stars must exist, even within that portion of the heavens which 
lies open to our observation. 

It appears, from numerous observations, that various changes 
are occasionally taking place in the regions of the stars. 
Several stars have appeared for a while in the heavens, and 
then vanished from the sight. 3ome stars which were known 
to the ancients, cannot now be discovered ; and stars are now 
distinctly visible, w r hich were to them unknown. A few stars 
have gradually increased in brilliancy, while others have been 
constantly diminishing in lustre. Certain stars, to the number 
of 15, or upwards, are ascertained to have a periodical increase 
and decrease of their lustre, sometimes appearing like stars of 
the 1st or 2d magnitude, sometimes diminishing to the size of 
the 4th or 5th magnitude, and sometimes altogether disappear- 
ing to the naked eye. It also appears, that changes are taking 
place among the nebulas — that several nebulas are formed by 
the decomposition of larger nebulae, and that many nebulas of 
this kind are at present detaching themselves from the nebulas 
of the Milky Way. These changes seem to indicate, that 
mighty movements and vast operations are continually going 
on in the distant regions of creation, under the superintendence 
of the Sovereign of the Universe, upon a scale of magnitude 
and grandeur which overwhelms the human understanding. 

To explore, more extensively, the region of the starry 
firmament ; to mark the changes that are taking place ; to 
ascertain all the changeable stars ; to determine the periodical 
variations of their light ; the revolutions of double and triple 
stars ; and the motions, and other phenomena peculiar to these 
great bodies, will furnish employment for future enlightened 
generations : and will, perhaps, form a part of the studies and 
investigations of superior intelligences, in a higher sphere of 
existence, during an indefinite lapse of ages. 

If every one of these immense bodies be a Sun, equal or 
superior to ours, and encircled with a host of planetary worlds, 
as we have every reason to conclude, (see pp. 38, 64, 65,) 
how vast must be the extent of Creation ! how numerous the 
worlds and brings which exist within its boundless range ! and, 
how great eyond all human or angelic conception, must be 
the Powe ud Intelligence of that glorious Being, who called 
this system from nothing into existence, and continually super- 

^7 



198 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

intends all its movements ! The mind is bewildered and con 
founded when it attempts to dwell on this subject ; it feels the 
narrow limits of its present faculties ; it longs for the powers 
of a seraph, to enable it to take a more expansive flight, into 
those regions which " eye hath not seen ;" and, while destitute 
of these, and chained down to this obscure corner of creation, 
it can only exclaim, in the language of inspiration, " Who can 
by searching find out God ? — Great is our Lord, and of great 
power ; his understanding is infinite !— Great and marvellous 
are thy works, Lord God Almighty ! — Who can utter the 
mighty acts of Jehovah, who can show forth all his praise !" 

After what has been now stated in relation to the leading 
facts of astronomy, it would be needless to spend time in 
endeavouring to show its connexion with religion. It will be 
at once admitted, that all the huge globes of luminous and 
opaque matter, to which we have adverted, are the workman- 
ship of Him " who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in 
working ;" and form a part of the dominions of that august 
Sovereign, u whose kingdom ruleth over all." And shall it 
ever be insinuated, that this subject has no relation to the 
great object of our adoration? and that it is of no importance 
in our views of the Divinity, whether we conceive his domi- 
nions as circumscribed within the limits of little more than 
25,000 miles, or as embracing an extent which comprehends 
innumerable worlds 1 The objects around us in this sublunary 
sphere strikingly evince the superintendency, the wisdom and 
benevolence of the Creator ; but this science demonstrates, 
beyond all other departments of human knowledge, the Gran- 
deur and Magnificence of his operations : and raises the 
mind to sublimer views of his attributes than can be acquired 
by the contemplation of any other objects. A serious con- 
templation of the sublime objects which Astronomy has ex- 
plored, must, therefore, have a tendency to inspire us with 
profound veneration of the Eternal Jehovah — to humble us in 
the dust before his august presence — to excite admiration of 
his condescension and grace in the work of redemption — to 
show us the littleness of this world, and the insignificancy of 
those riches and honors to which ambitious men aspire with 
bo much labor and anxiety of mind — to demonstrate the glory 
and magnificence of God's universal kingdom — to convince 
us of the infinite sources of varied felicity which he has in his 
power to communicate to holy intelligences — to enliven our 
hopes of the splendors of that " exceeding great and eternal 
weight of glory" which will burst upon the spirits of good 
men, when they pass from this region of mortality — and to 



ASTRONOMY. 199 

induce us to aspire with more lively ardor after that heavenly 
world, where the glories of the Deity, and the magnificence of 
his works will be more clearly unfolded. 

If, then, such be the effects which the objects of astronomy 
have a tendency to produce on a devout and enlightened mind 
— to call in question the propriety of exhibiting such views in 
religious publications, or in the course of religious instruction, 
would be an approach to impiety, and an attempt to cover with 
a veil the most illustrious visible displays of Divine glory. — 
It forms a striking evidence of the depravity of man, as well 
as of his want of true taste, and of a discernment of what is 
excellent, that the grandeur of the nocturnal heavens, and the 
perfections of Deity they proclaim, are beheld with so much 
apathy and indifference by the bulk of mankind. Though 
" the heavens declare the glory of God," in the most solemn 
and impressive language, adapted to the comprehension of 
every kindred and every tribe, yet " a brutish man knoweth 
not, neither doth a fool understand this." They can gaze upon 
these resplendent orbs with as little emotion as the ox that 
feeds on the grass, or as the horse that drags their carcasses 
along in their chariots. They have even attempted to ridicule 
the science of the heavens, to caricature those who have 
devoted themselves to such studies, and to treat with an indif- 
ference, mingled with contempt, the most august productions 
of Omnipotence. Such persons must be considered as expos- 
ing themselves to that Divine denunciation — "Because they 
regard not the works of Jehovah, neither consider the opera- 
tions of his hands, he will destroy them and not build them 
up." If the structure of the heavens, and the immensity of 
worlds and beings they contain, were intended by the Creator 
to adumbrate, in some measure, his invisible perfections, and 
to produce a sublime and awful impression on all created intel- 
ligences, (see pp. 46, 54, 58,) it must imply a high degree of 
disrespect to the Divinity wilfully to overlook these astonish- 
ing scenes of Power and Intelligence. It is not a matter of 
mere taste or caprice, whether or not we direct our thoughts to 
such subjects, but an imperative duty to which we are 
frequently directed in the word of God ; the wilful neglect of 
which, where there is an opportunity of attending to it, must 
subject us to all that is included in the threatening now speci- 
fied, if there be any meaning in language. 

That the great body of professed Christians are absolute 
strangers to the sublime sentiments which a serious contempla- 
tion of the heavens inspires, must be owing, in part, to the 
minds of Christian parents and teachers not having been 



200 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

directed to such subject, or to the views they entertain respect- 
ing the relation of such contemplations to the objects of reli- 
gion. In communicating religious instructions in reference to 
the attributes of God, the heavens are seldom referred to, ex- 
cept in such a vague and indefinite manner as can produce no 
deep nor vivid impression on the mind ; and many pious per- 
sons, whose views have been confined to a narrow range of 
objects, have been disposed to declaim against such studies, 
as if they had a tendency to engender pride and self-conceit, 
and as if they were even dangerous to the interests of religion 
and piety. How very different were the feelings and the con- 
duct of the sacred writers ! They call upon every one of 
God's intelligent offspring to " stand still, and consider the won- 
drous works of the Most High ;" and describe the profound 
emotions of piety which the contemplation of them produced 
on their own minds : " Lift up your eyes on high and behold ! 
Who hath created these things ! The heavens declare the 
glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy- work. — 
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the 
moon and the stars which thou hast ordained — what is man 
that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou 
visitest him ! Thou, even thou, art Lord alone ; thou hast 
made heaven, and the heaven of heavens, with all their host, 
and thou preservest them all ; and the hosts of heaven worship 
thee. All the gods of the nations are idols ; but the Lord 
made the heavens : Honor and Majesty are before him. — 
Jehovah hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; and his 
kingdom ruleth over all. Sing praises unto God, ye king- 
doms of the earth, to him that rideth on the heaven of hea- 
vens. Ascribe ye power to our God ; for his strength is in 
the heavens. Praise him for his mighty acts, praise him ac- 
cording to his excellent greatness" If we would enter, with 
spirit, into such elevated strains of piety, wo must content our- 
selves with a passing and vacant stare at the orbs of heaven, 
as if they were only so many brilliant studs fixed in the canopy 
of the sky ; but must " consider" them, with fixed attention, in 
all the lights in which revelation and science have exhibited 
them to our view, if we wish to praise God for his mighty 
works, and " according to his excellent greatness." And, for 
this purpose, the conclusions deduced by those who have de- 
voted themselves to celestial investigations, ought to be pre- 
sented to the view of the intelligent Christian, that he may be 
enabled to " speak of the glory of Jehovah's kingdom, and to 
talk of his power." 






NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 201 

Having, in the preceding sketches, considerably exceeded 
the limits original]} prescribed for this department of my sub- 
ject, I am reluctantly compelled to despatch the remaining 
sciences with a few brief notices. 

NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 

The object of Natural Philosophy is, to observe and de- 
scribe the phenomena of the material universe, with a view to 
discover their causes, and the laws by which the Almighty di- 
rects the movements of all bodies in heaven and on earth. — 
It embraces an investigation of the laws of gravitation, by 
which the planets are directed in their motions — the laws by 
which water, air, light, and heat are regulated, and the effects 
they produce in the various states in which they operate — the 
nature of colors, sounds, electricity, galvanism, and magnet- 
ism, and the laws of their operation — the causes which operate 
in the production of thunder, lightning, luminous and fiery 
meteors, hail, rain, snow, dew, and other atmospherical phe- 
nomena. In short, it embraces all the objects of Natural His- 
tory formerly alluded to, with a view to ascertain the causes 
of their varied appearances, and the principles that operate in 
the changes to which they are subject ; or, in other words, 
the laws by which the diversified phenomena of universal na- 
ture are produced and regulated. One subordinate use of the 
knowledge derived from this science, is, to enable us to con- 
struct all those mechanical engines which facilitate human 
labor, and increase the comforts of mankind, and all those in- 
struments which tend to enlarge our views of the operations of 
nature. A still higher and nobler use to which philosophy is 
subservient, is, to demonstrate the Wisdom and Intelligence 
of the Great First Cause of all things, and to enlarge our con- 
ceptions of the admirable contrivance and design which appear 
in the different departments of universal nature. In this view, 
it may be considered as forming a branch of Natural The- 
ology, or, in other words, a branch of the religion of angels, 
and of all other holy intelligences. 

This department' of Natural Science has generally been 
divided into the following branches : 

I. Mechanics. — This branch, considered in its most ex- 
tensive range, includes an investigation of the general proper- 
ties of matter ; such as solidity, extension, divisibility, motion, 
attraction, and repulsion — the laws of gravitation, and of cen- 
tral forces, as they appear to operate in the motions of the 
celestial bodies ; and on the surface of our globe, in the phe- 
nomena of falling bodies, the motions of projectiles, the vibra- 

17* 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

tion of pendulums, &c- — the theory of machines, the princi- 
ples on which their energy depends ; the properties of the 
mechanical powers — the lever, the wheel, and axle, the pulley, 
the inclined plane, the wedge and the screxo-^ and the effects 
resulting from their various combinations. From the investi- 
gations of philosophers on these subjects, we learn the laws 
by which the great bodies of the universe are directed in their 
motions ; the laws which bind together the different portions 
of matter on the surface of the earth, and which regulate the 
motions of animal, vegetable, and inanimate nature ; and the 
principles on which cranes, mills, wheel-carriages, pile- 
engines, threshing-machines, and other engines are con- 
structed ; by means of which, man has been enabled to ac- 
complish operations far beyond the limits of his own physical 
powers. 

Without a knowledge of the laws of motion, and assistance 
from the combined effects of the mechanical powers, man 
would be a very limited being, his enjoyments would be few, 
and his active energies confined within a very narrow range. 
In a savage state, ignorant of manufactures, agriculture, archi- 
tecture, navigation, and the other arts which depend upon me- 
chanical combinations, he is exposed, without shelter, to the 
inclemencies of the season ; he is unable to transport himself 
beyond seas and oceans, to visit other climes and other tribes 
of his fellow-men ; he exists in the desert, comfortless and 
unimproved ; the fertile soil, over which he roams, is covered 
with thorns, and briers, and thickets, for the haunt of beasts of 
prey ; his enjoyments are little superior to those of the lion, 
the hyaena, and the elephant, while he is much their inferior* in 
point of agility and physical strength. But when Philosophy 
has once demonstrated the principles of mechanics, and intro- 
duced the practice of the useful Arts, " the wilderness and the 
solitary place are made glad, and the desert rejoices, and blos- 
soms as the rose." Cities are founded, and gradually rise to 
opulence and splendor ; palaces and temples are erected ; the 
damp cavern, and the rush-built hut, are exchanged for the 
warm and comfortable apartments of a substantial mansion ; 
ships are built, and navigated across the ocean ; the treasures 
of one country are conveyed to another ; an intercourse is 
carried on between the most distant tribes of mankind ; com- 
merce flourishes, and machinery of all kinds is erected, for 
facilitating human labor, and promoting the enjoyments of man. 
And when the principles and the practice of " pure and unde- 
fined religion" accompany these physical and mechanical ope- 
rations, love and affection diffuse their benign influence ; the 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 



203 



prospect brightens as years roll on, and man advances, with 
pleasure and improvement, to the scene of his high destination. 

II. Hydrostatics treats of the pressure and equilibrium of 
fluids. From the experiments which have been made in this 
branch of philosophy, the following important principles, 
among many others, have been deduced : — 

(1.) That the surface of all waters which have a communi- 
cation whilst they are at rest, will be perfectly level. This 
principle will be more clearly understood by an inspection of 
the following figures. If water be poured into the tube A, 
(Fig. 1.) it will run through the horizontal tube E, and rise in 
the opposite tube B, to the same height at which it stands at A. 



lA 




E 



It is on this principle that water is now conveyed under ground* 
through conduit pipes, and made to rise to the level of the 
fountain whence it is drawn. The city of Edinburgh, a con- 
siderable part of which is elevated above the level of the sur- 
rounding country, is supplied with water from a reservoir on 
the Pentland hills, several miles distant. The water is con- 
veyed in leaden pipes down the declivity of the hill, along the 
interjacent plain, and up to the entrance of the castle, whence 
it is distributed to all parts of the city. If the point A repre- 
sent the level of the reservoir, C D will represent the plain 
along which the water is conveyed, and B the elevation to 
which it rises on the castle hill. On the same principle, and 
in a similar manner, the, city of London is supplied with water 
from the water-works at London Bridge. Had the ancients 
been acquainted with this simple but important principle, it 
would have saved them the labor and expense of rearing those 



204 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

stupendous works of art, the Aqueducts, which consisted of 
numerous arches of a vast size, and sometimes piled one 
above another. 

Fig. 2. represents the syphon, the action of which depends 
upon the pressure of the atmosphere. If this instrument be 
filled with water, or any other liquid, and the shorter leg G, 
plunged to the bottom of a cask, or other vessel, containing 
the same liquid, the water will run out at the longer leg F, till 
the vessel be emptied, in consequence of the atmospheric 
pressure upon the surface of the liquid. On this principle, 
water may be conveyed over a rising ground to any distance^ 
provided the perpendicular height of the syphon above the sur- 
face of the water in the fountain, does not exceed 32 or 33 
feet. On the same principle are constructed the fountain at 
command, the cup of Tantalus, and other entertaining devices. 
The same principle, too, enables us to account for springs 
which are sometimes found on the tops of mountains, and for 
the phenomena of intermitting springs, or those which flow 
and stop by regular alternations. 

(2.) Any quantity of fluid, however small, may be made to 
counterpoise any quantity, however large. This is what has 
generally been termed the Hydrostatical Paradox ; and from 
this principle it follows, that a given quantity of water may 
exert a force several hundred times greater or less, according 
to the manner in which it is employed. This force depends 
on the height of the column of water, independent of its quan- 
tity ; for its pressure depends on its perpendicular height. By 
means of water conveyed through a very small perpendicular 
tube, of great length, a very strong hogshead has been burst 
to pieces, and the water scattered about with incredible force, 
On this principle, the hydrostatic press, and other engines of 
immense power have been constructed. 

(3.) Every body which is heavier than water, or which sinks 
in it, displaces so much of the water as is equal to the bulk of 
the body immersed in the water. On this principle, the speci- 
fic gravities, or comparative weight, of all bodies are deter- 
mined. It appears to have been first ascertained by Archi- 
medes, and, by means of it, he determined that the golden 
crown of the King of Syracuse had been adulterated by the 
workmen. From this principle we learn, among many other 
things, the specific gravity of the human body ; and that four 
pounds of cork will preserve a person weighing 135 pounds 
from sinking, so that he may remain with his head completely 
above water. 

Hydraulics, which has sometimes been treated as a distinct 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 205 

department of mechanical philosophy, may be considered as a 
branch of hydrostatics. It teaches us what relates to the mo- 
tion of fluids, and how to estimate their velocity and force. 
On the principle of this science, all machines worked by water 
are constructed — as steam-engines, water-mills, common and 
forcing pumps, syphons, fountains, and fire-engines. 

III. Pneumatics. — This branch of philosophy treats of the 
nature and properties of the atmosphere, and of their effects 
on solid and fluid bodies. From this science we learn, that 
air has weight, and presses on all sides, like other fluids ; that 
the pressure of the atmosphere upon the top of a mountain, is 
less than on the plain beneath ; that it presses upon our bodies 
with a weight of several thousand pounds more at one time 
than at another ; that air can be compressed into forty thou- 
sand times less space than it naturally occupies ; that it is of an 
elastic or expansive nature, and that the force of its spring is 
equal to its weight ; that its elasticity is increased by heat ; 
that it is necessary to the production of sound, the support of 
flame and animal life, and the germination and growth of all 
kinds of vegetables. 

These positions are proved and illustrated by such experi- 
ments as the following : — The general pressure of the atmos- 
phere is proved by such experiments as those detailed in No. 
II. of the Appendix. The following experiment proves that 
air is compressible. If a glass tube, open at one end, and 
closed at the other, be plunged with the open end downwards, 
into a tumbler of water, the water will rise a little way in the 
tube ; which shows, that the air which filled the tube is com- 
pressed by the water into a smaller space. The elasticity of 
air is proved by tying up a bladder, with a very small quantity 
of air within it, and putting it under the receiver of an air 
pump, when it will be seen gradually to inflate, till it becomes 
of its full size. A similar effect would take place, by carrying 
the bladder to the higher regions of the atmosphere. On the 
compression and elasticity of the air, depends the construc- 
tion of that dangerous and destructive instrument, the Air- 
gun. 

That it is capable of being rarified by heat, is proved by 
holding to the fire a half-blown bladder, lightly tied at the 
neck, when it will dilate to nearly its full size ; and if either a 
full-blown bladder, or a thin glass bubble filled with air is held 
to a strong fire, it will burst. The elasticity of the air is such, 
that Mr. Boyle, by means of an air pump, caused it to dilate 
till it occupied fourteen thousand times the space that it usu- 
ally does.- — That air is necessary to sound? flame, animal and 



206 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

vegetable life, is proved by the following experiments : — When 
the receiver of an air-pump is exhausted of its air, a cat, a 
mouse, or a bird, placed in it, expires in a few moments, in 
the greatest agonies. A bell rung in the same situation pro- 
duces no sound ; and a lighted candle is instantly extinguish- 
ed. Similar experiments prove that air is necessary for the 
flight of birds, the ascent of smoke and vapours, the explosion 
of gun-powder, and the growth of plants ; and that all bodies 
descend equally swift in a place void of air ; a guinea and a 
feather being found to fall to the bottom of an exhausted re- 
ceiver at the same instant. 

On the principles which this science has established, have 
been constructed the air-pump, the barometer, the thermome- 
ter, the diving-bell, the hygrometer, the condenser, and various 
other instruments, which have contributed to the comfort of 
human life, and to the enlargement of our knowledge of the 
constitution of nature. 

IV. Acoustics. — This science treats of the nature, the 
phenomena, and the laws of sound, and the theory of musical 
concord and harmony. From the experiments which have 
been made on this subject, we learn, that air is essential to the 
production of sound ; that it arises from vibrations in the air, 
communicated to it by vibrations of the sounding body ; that 
these vibrations, or aerial pulses, are propagated all around in 
a spherical undulatory manner ; that their density decreases, 
as the squares of the distances from the sounding body in- 
crease ; that they are propagated together in great numbers 
from different bodies, without disturbance or confusion, as is 
evident from concerts of musical instruments ; that water, tim- 
ber, and flannel, are also good conductors of sound ; that sound 
travels at the rate of 1142 feet in a second, or about thirteen 
miles in a minute ; that the softest whisper flies as fast as the 
loudest thunder ; and that the utmost limits, within which the 
loudest sounds, produced by artificial means, can be heard, is 
180 or 200 miles ;* that sound striking against an obstacle, as 
the wall of a house, may, like light, be reflected, and produce 
another sound, which is called an echo ; and that, after it has 
been reflected from several places, it may be collected into one 
point or focus, where it will be more audible than in any other 

* In the war between England and Holland, in 1672, the noise of the 
guns was heard in those parts of Wales which were estimated to be two 
hundred miles distant from the scene of action. But the sounds produced 
by volcanoes have been heard at a much greater distance ; some instances 
of which are stated in Chap. IV. Sect. 2. Several other facts in relation 
to sound, are detailed in Chap. III. Art. ^caustic Tunnels, 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 207 

place. On these principles, whispering galleries, speaking 
trumpets, and other acoustic instruments are constructed. 

Y. Optics. — This branch of philosophy treats of vision, 
light, and colors, and of the various phenomena of visible ob- 
jects produced by the rays of light, reflected from mirrors, or 
transmitted through lenses. From this science we learn, that 
light flies at the rate of nearly twelve millions of miles every 
minute — that it moves in straight lines — that its particles may 
be several thousands of miles distant from each other — that 
every visible body emits particles of light from its surface, in 
all directions — that the particles of light are exceedingly small; 
for a lighted candle will fill a cubical space of two miles every 
way with its rays, before it has lost the least sensible part of its 
substance ; and millions of rays, from a thousand objects, will 
pass through a hole not larger than the point of a needle, and 
convey to the mind an idea of the form, position, and color of 
every individual object — that the intensity, or degree of light 
decreases, as the square of the distance from the luminous 
body increases ; that is, at two yards' distance from a candle, 
we shall have only the fourth part of the light we should have 
at the distance of one yard ; at three yards' distance, the ninth 
part ; at four yards, the sixteenth part, and so on — that glass 
lenses may be ground into the following forms ; plano-convex, 
plano-concave, double convex, double concave, and meniscus, that 
is, convex on one side, and concave on the other — that specula, 
or mirrors, may be ground into either a spherical, parabolical, or 
cylindrical form — that, by means of such mirrors and lenses, 
the rays of light may be so modified as to proceed either in a 
diverging, converging, or parallel direction, and the images of 
visible objects represented in a variety of new forms, positions, 
and magnitudes-. — that every ray of white light may be separa- 
ted into seven primary colors : red, orange, yellow, green, blue, 
indigo, and violet — that the variegated coloring which appears 
on the face of nature is not in the objects themselves, but in 
the light which falls upon them — that the rainbow is produced 
by the refraction and reflection of the solar rays in the drops 
of falling rain — that the rays of light are refracted, or bent out 
of their course, when they fall upon glass, water, and other 
mediums — that the light of the sun may be collected into a 
point or focus, and made to produce a heat more intense than 
that of a furnace* — that the rays from visible objects, when 

* This is produced by means of lenses, or mirrors of a large diameter, 
called burning-glasses. By these instruments the hardest metals, on which 
common fires, a id even glass-house furnaces could produce no effect, have 
been melted in a few seconds. M. Villette, a Frenchman, nearly a cen 



20S THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

reflected from a concave mirror, converge to a focus, and paint 
an image of the objects before it, and that when they pass 
through a convex glass, they depict an image behind it. 

On these and other principles demonstrated by this science, 
the Camera Obscura, the Magic Lantern, the Phantasmagoria, 
the Kaleidoscope, the Heliostata, the Micrometer — Spectacles, 
Opera-Glasses, Prisms, single, compound, lucernal, and solar 
Microscopes, reflecting and refracting Telescopes, and other 
optical instruments, have been constructed, by means of which 
the natural powers of human vision have been wonderfully 
increased, and our prospects into the works of God extended 
far beyond what former ages could have conceived. 

VI. Electricity. — This name has been given to a science 
which explains and illustrates the operations of a very subtile 
fluid called the electric fluid, which appears to pervade every 
part of nature, and to be one of the chief agents employed in 
producing many of the phenomena of the material world. If 
a piece of amber, sealing wax, or sulphur, be rubbed with a 
piece of flannel, it will acquire the power of attracting small bits 
of paper, feathers, or other light substances. If a tube of glass, 
two or three feet in length, and an inch or two in diameter, be 
rubbed pretty hard, in a dark room, with a piece of dry woollen 
cloth, besides attracting light substances, it will emit flashes of 
fire, attended with a crackling noise. This luminous matter is 
called electricity, or the electric fluid. If a large globe or cylin- 
der of glass, be turned rapidly round, and made to rub against 
a cushion, streams and large sparks of bluish flame will be 
elicited, which will fly round the glass, attract light bodies, and 
produce a pungent sensation if the hand be held to it. This 
glass, with all its requisite apparatus, is called an electrical ma- 
chine. It is found, that this fluid will pass along some bodies, 
and not along others. The bodies over which it pass freely 

tury ago constructed a mirror, three feet eleven inches in diameter, and 
three feet two inches in focal distance, which melted copper ore in eight 
seconds, iron ore in twenty-four seconds, a fish's tooth in thirty-two seconds, 
cast iron in sixteen seconds, a silver sixpence in seven seconds, and tin in 
three seconds. This mirror condensed the solar rays 17,257 times, a de- 
gree of heat which is about four hundred and nineli Hmes greater than com- 
mon fire. Mr. Parker, of London, instructed a lens three feet in diame- 
ter, and six feet eight inches focus, which weighed .212 pounds. It melted 
twenty grains of gold in four seconds, and ten grains of platina in three 
seconds. The power of burning glasses is, as the area of the lens directly, 
and the square of the focus distance inversely — or, in other words, the broader 
the mirror or lens, and the shorter the focal distance, the more intense is 
the heat produced by such instruments. A globular decanter of water 
makes a powerful burning-glass; and house r n oritur e has been set on fire 
by incautiously exposing it to the rays of the sun. 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 209 

are water, and most other fluids, except oil and the aerial fluids ; 
iron, copper, lead, and, in general all the metals, semi-metals, 
and metallic ores ; which are, therefore, called conductors of 
electricity. But it will notpass over glass, resin, wax, sulphur, 
silk, baked woods, or dry woollen substances ; nor through air, 
except by force, in spai^ks, to short distances. These bodies 
are, therefore, called non-conductors. 

The following facts, among others, have been ascertained 
respecting this wonderful agent: — That all bodies with which 
we are acquainted, possess a greater or less share of this fluid 
— that the quantity usually belonging to any body produces no 
sensible effects ; but when any surface becomes possessed of 
more or less than its natural share, it exhibits certain appear- 
ances, in the form of light, sound, attraction, or repulsion, 
which are ascribed to the power called electric — that there are 
two different species of the electrical fluid, or, at least, two 
different modifications of the same general principle, termed 
positive and negative electricity — that positive and negative 
electricity always accompany each other ; for if a substance 
acquire the one, the body with which it is rubbed acquires the 
the other — that it moves with amazing rapidity ; having been 
transmitted through wire of several miles in length, without 
taking up any sensible space of time ; and, therefore, it is not 
improbable, that were an insulated conducting substance ex- 
tended from one continent to another, it might be made to fly 
to the remotest regions of the earth in a few seconds of time 
— that it has a power of suddenly contracting the muscles of 
animals, or of giving a shock to the animal frame — that this 
shock may be communicated, at the same instant, to a hun- 
dred persons, or to an indefinite number who form a circle, by 
joining their hands together — that it may be accumulated to 
such a degree as to kill the largest animals— that vivid sparks 
of this fluid, attended with a crackling noise, may be drawn 
from different parts of the human body, when the person is 
insulated, or stands upon a stool supported by glass feet — that 
electricity sets fire to gun-powder, spirits of wine, and other 
inflammable substances — that it melts iron wire, and destroys 
the polarity of the magnetic needle — that it augments the 
natural evaporation of fluids, promotes the vegetation of plants, 
and increases the insensible perspiration of animals ; and can 
be drawn from the clouds by means of electrical kites, and 
other elevated conductors. By means of the electrical power, 
small models of machinery have been set in action : orreries 
to represent the movements of the planets, have been put in 
motion ; and small bells have been set a-ringing for a length 

18 



210 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

of time ; and, in consequence of the knowledge we have ac- 
quired of the mode of its operation in the system of nature, the 
lightnings of heaven have been arrested in their course, and 
constrained to descend to the earth, without producing any 
injurious effects. 

From these, and a variety of other facts and expenments, 
it is now fully ascertained, that lightning and electricity are 
identical ; and that it is the prime agent in producing the awful 
phenomena of a thunder-storm ; the lightning being the rapid 
motion of vast masses of electric matter, and thunder the noise, 
with its echoes, produced by the rapid motion of the lightning 
through the atmosphere. — There can be little doubt that, in 
combination with steam, the gasses, and other agents, it also 
produces many of the terrific phenomena of earthquakes, volca- 
noes, whirlwinds, water-spouts, and hurricanes, and the sublime 
coruscations of the aurora borealis. In the operations of this 
powerful fluid we behold a striking display of the sovereignty 
and majestic agency of God. In directing its energies, " his 
way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the 
dust of his feet ; the heavens are covered with sackcloth, the 
mountains quake before him, the hills melt, the earth is burned 
at his presence, the rocks are thrown down by him :" Neh. i. 
3 — 6. It is easy to conceive, that, by a few slight modifica- 
tions produced by the hand of Omnipotence, this powerful fluid 
might become the agent of producing either the most awful 
and tremendous, or the most glorious and transporting scenes, 
over every region of our globe. As it now operates, it is cal- 
culated to inspire us rather with awe and terror than with 
admiration and joy; and to lead our thoughts to a considera- 
tion of the state of man as a depraved intelligence, and a rebel 
against his Maker. 

VII. Galvanism is intimately connected with electricity, 
though it is generally considered as a branch of Chemistry. 
It is only another mode of exciting electrical action. In elec- 
tricity the effects are produced chiefly by mechanical action ; 
but the effects of Galvanism are produced by the chemical 
action of bodies upon each other. If we take a piece of zinc, 
and place it under the tongue, and lay a piece of silver, as big 
as a half-crown, above it ; by bringing the outer edges of these 
pieces in contact, we shall immediately experience a peculiar 
and disagreeable taste, like that of copper. The same thing 
may be noticed with a guinea and a piece of charcoal. If a 
person, in the dark, put a slip of tinfoil unon one of his eyes, 
and a piece of silver in his mouth, by causing these pieces to 
Communicate, a faint flash will appear before his eyes. If a 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 211 

living frog or a fish, having a slip of tinfoil pasted upon its 
back, be placed upon a piece of zinc, by forming a communi- 
cation between the zinc and tinfoil, the spasms of the muscles 
are excited. These and similar effects are produced by that 
modification of electricity which has been termed Galvanism. 
Three different conductors, or what is called a galvanic circle, 
are requisite to produce such effects A piece of copper, a 
piece of flannel, moistened with water or acid, and a piece of 
zinc, laid upon one another, form a circle ; and if this circle 
be repeated a number of times, a galvanic pile or battery may 
be formed capable of giving a powerful shock. The most 
common and convenient form, however, of a battery, is found 
to be a trough of baked wood, three or four inches deep and 
as many wide. In the sides are grooves, opposite to each 
other, into each of which is placed a double metallic plate, of 
zinc and copper soldered together, and the cells are then filled 
either with salt and water, or with a solution of nitrous acid 
and water. 

By means of the galvanic agency, a variety of surprising 
effects have been produced. Gunpowder, cotton, and other 
inflammable substances, have been inflamed — charcoal has 
been made to burn, with a most brilliant and beautiful white 
flame- — water has been decomposed into its elementary parts 
— -metals have been melted and set on fire — fragments of 
diamond, charcoal, and plumbago, have been dispersed, as if 
they had been evaporated — platina, the hardest and heaviest of 
the metals, has been melted as readily as wax in the flame of 
a candle — the sapphire, quartz, magnesia, lime, and the firmest 
compounds in nature, have been made to enter into fusion. — 
Its effects on the animal system are no less surprising. When 
applied to a fowl or a rabbit, immediately aliet life is extinct, 
it produces the most strange and violent convulsions on the 
nervous and muscular system, as if the vitai functions were 
again revived ; and when applied to the human body after 
death, the stimulus has produced the most horrible contortions 
and grimaces in the muscles of the head and face ; and the 
most rapid movements in the hands and f jet. 

The galvanic agency enables us to account for the follow- 
ing among other facts : — Why porter has a different and more 
pleasant taste, when drunk out of a pewter vessel, than out of 
glass or earthen ware, — why a silver spoon is discolored when 
used in eating eggs, — why the limbs of people, under amputa- 
tion, are sometimes convulsed by the application of the instru- 
ments, — why pure mercury is oxydized when amalgamated 
with tin, — why works of metal, which are soldered together, 



212 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

soon tarnish in the places where the metals are joined, — and 
why the copper sheathing of ships, when fastened with iron 
nails, are soon corroded about the place of contact. In all 
these cases a galvanic circle is formed, which produces the 
effects. Yv r e have reason to believe, that, in combination with 
the discoveries which modern chemistry is daily unfolding, the 
agencies of this fluid will enable us to carry the arts forward 
towards perfection, and to trace the secret causes of some of 
the sublimest phenomena of nature. 

VIII. Magnetism. — This department of philosophy de- 
scribes the phenomena, and the properties of the loadstone, or 
natural magnet. The natural magnet is a hard dark-colored 
mineral body, and is usually found in iron mines. The follow- 
ing are some of its characteristic properties : — 1. It attracts 
iron and steel, and all substances which contain iron in its 
metallic state. 2. If a magnet be suspended by a thread, or 
nicely poised on a pivot, or placed on a piece of wood, and 
set to float in a basin of water, one end will constantly point 
nearly towards the north pole of the earth, and the other 
towards the south ; and, hence, these parts of the magnet have 
been called the north and south poles. 3. When the north 
pole of one magnet is presented near to the south pole of 
another, they will attract each other ; but if the north pole of 
one be presented to the north pole of another, or a south pole 
to a south, they will repel each other. 4. A magnet placed in 
such a manner as to be entirely at liberty, inclines one of its 
poles to the horizon, and of course elevates the other above it. 
This property is called the dipping of the magnet. 5. Mag- 
nets do not point directly north and south ; but in different 
parts of the world with a different declination eastward or west- 
ward of the north ; it is also different at the same place at 
different times. In London, and in most places of Great 
Britain, the magnetic needle, at present, points about 24 
degrees to the west of the north. For more than 160 years 
it has been gradually declining from the north to the west ; but 
seems of late to have begun its declination to the eastward. 
6. Any magnet may be made to communicate the properties 
now mentioned, to any piece of iron or steel. For example, 
by gently rubbing a penknife with a magnet, it will be immedi- 
ately invested with the property of attracting needles, or small 
pieces of iron or steel. 7. Heat weakens the power of a 
magnet, and the gradual addition of weight increases the mag- 
netic power. 8. The properties of the magnet are not affected 
either by the presence or the absence of air ; and the magnetic 
attraction is not in the least diminished by the interposition ot 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 213 

any bodies except iron. A magnet will equally affect the 
needle of a pocket compass, when a thick board is placed 
between them as when it is removed. — It has been lately dis- 
covered, that the violet rays of the solar spectrum, when con- 
densed with a convex glass, and made to pass along a piece 
of steel, have the power of communicating to it the magnetic 
virtue. 

The cause which produces these singular properties of the 
magnet, has hitherto remained a mystery ; but the knowledge 
of the polarity of the magnet has been applied to a most im- 
portant practical purpose. By means of it, man has now 
acquired the dominion of the ocean, and has learned to trace 
his course through the pathless deep to every region of the 
globe. There can be little doubt that magnetism has an inti- 
mate connexion with electricity, galvanism, light, heat, and 
chemical action; and the discoveries which have been lately 
made, and the experiments which are now making by Mori- 
chini, Oersted, Abraham, Hansteen, Barlow, Beaufoy, and 
Scoresby, promise to throw some light on this mysterious 
agent, and on the phenomena of nature with which it is con- 
nected. 

Such is a faint outline of some of the interesting subjects 
whicn Natural Philosophy embraces. Its relation to Religion 
will appear from the following considerations : — 

1. Its researches have led to the invention of machines, 
engines, and instruments of various kinds, which augment the 
energies, increase the comforts, and promote the general 
improvement of mankind ; and these objects are inseparably 
connected with the propagation of Christianity through the 
world. If we admit, that, in future ages, the religion of the 
Bible will shed its benign influence over all nations — that the 
external condition of the human race will then be prosperous 
and greatly meliorated beyond what it has ever been — and, 
that no miraculous interposition of Deity is to be expected to 
bring about such desirable events — it will follow, that such 
objects can be accomplished only in the ordinary course of 
Providence, by rational investigations into the principles and 
powers of Nature, and the application of the inventions of 
science to the great objects of religion, and of human improve- 
ment, as I shall endeavour briefly to illustrate in the following 
chapter. As the destructive effects of many physical agents, 
in the present constitution of our globe, are, doubtless, a con- 
sequence of the sin and depravity of man ; we have reason 
to believe that, when the economy of nature shall be more 
extensively and minutely investigated, and the minds of men 

IS* 



214 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER* 

directed to apply their discoveries to philanthropic and religious 
objects, they will be enabled to counteract, in a great measure, 
those devastations and fatal effects which are now produced 
by several of the powers of nature. The general happiness 
of all ranks, which will be connected with the universal exten- 
sion of Christianity, necessarily supposes, that this object will 
be accomplished ; for, were a dread of destruction from the 
elements of nature frequently to agitate the mind, as at present, 
no permanent tranquillity would be enjoyed ; nor would that 
ancient prediction, in reference to this era, receive its full 
accomplishment, that "there shall be nothing to hurt or destroy 
in all God's holy mountain, when the earth shall be full of the 
knowledge of the Lord." And since miraculous interpositions 
are not to be expected, to what quarter can w r e look for those 
subordinate agencies by which this object is to be effected, 
but to the discoveries and inventions of philosophical science 1 
Science has already enabled us to remedy many of those 
evils which are the accidental effects of the operation of physi- 
cal agents. For example — the discoveries of the philosopher, 
with respect to the nature of the electric fluid, have enabled 
us to construct conductors for preserving buildings from the 
stroke of lightning : and we have every reason to hope, that, 
in the progress of electric, galvanic, and chemical science* 
more complete thunder guards, applicable to all the situations 
in which a person may be exposed, will be invented. Nay, 
our increasing knowledge of the electr»c fluid, and of the che- 
mical agents which concur in its operation, may enable us to 
dissipate thunder-storms altogether, by disturbing the electri- 
city of the clouds by means of a series of elevated artificial 
conductors. This is not only possible, but has already been 
in some degree effected. The celebrated Euler imforms us* 
in his " Letters to a German Princess," that he corresponded 
with a Moravian priest, named Divisch., who assured him* 
" that he had averted, during a whole summer, every thunder- 
storm which threatened his own habitation and the neighbour- 
hood, by means of a machine constructed ^n the principles of 
electricity — that the machinery sensibly attracted the clouds, 
and constrained them to descend quietly in p distillation, with- 
out any but a very distant thunder clap." Euler assures us 
that " the fact is undoubted, and confirmed by irresistable 
proof." Yea, not only may the destructive effects of lightning 
be averted by the inventions of philosophy, but ite agency may 
be rendered subservient to human industry, and made to act 
as a- mechanical power. This effect, too, has been partially 
accomplished. About the year 181 1, in the village of Philips- 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 215 

thai, in Eastern Prussia, an attempt was made to split an im- 
mense stone into a multitude of pieces, by means of lightning. 
A bar of iron, in the form of a conductor, was previously fixed 
to the stone, and the experiment was attended with the most 
complete success ; for, during the very first thunder-storm, 
the lightning burst the stone without displacing it.* 

It is, therefore, probable, that in the future ages of the world, 
this terrific meteor, and other destructive agents, which now 
produce so much alarm, and so many disastrous effects, may, 
by the aid of philosophy, be brought under the control of man, 
and be made to minister to his enjoyment. 

The electric fluid has also been, in many instances, success- 
fully applied in curing palsies, rheumatisms, spasms, obstruc- 
tions, and inflammation ; and it is known to have a peculiar effect 
on the nervous system. Lightning has been known to restore 
the blind to a temporary enjoyment of sight. Mr. Campbell 
of Succoth, in Dumbartonshire, who had been blind for seve- 
ral years, was led by his servant one evening through the 
streets of Glasgow, during a terrible thunder-storm. The 
lightning sometimes fluttered along the streets for a quarter of 
a minute without ceasing. While this fluttering lasted, Mr. 
C. saw the street distinctly, and the changes which had been 
made in that part by taking down one of the city gates. When 
the storm was over, his entire blindnes., returned. — A still 
more remarkable instance is stated, along with this, under the 
• article Thunder, in Dr. Gleig's Supp. to Ency. Brit, which was 
written by the late Professor Robinson. It is also possible 
that barren deserts might be enriched with fertility, and im- 
mense portions of the desolate wastes of our globe prepared 
for the support and accommodation of human beings, by ar- 
resting the clouds, and drawing down their electrical virtue and 
their watery treasures by means of an extended series of ele- 
vated metallic conductors. What has been now stated is only 
one instance, out of many, which might be adduced, of the 
extensive and beneficial effects which may be produced, in 
future ages, by* the application of the discoveries of natural 
science. 

2. A knowledge of Natural Philosophy enables us to detect 
'pretended miracles, and to discriminate between those pheno- 
mena which are produced by the powers of nature, and the 
supposed effects of diabolical influence. It has been chiefly 
owing to ignorance of the principles of natural science, that 
mankind, in all ages, have been so easily imposed upon by pre- 

* See Monthly Magazine, vol. 32, p. 162* 



216 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

tenders to supernatural powers. It is owing to the same 
cause, that superstitious notions and vain alarms have spread 
their influence so extensively among the lower ranks of the 
population of every country. The pretended miracles by 
which Pagan and Popish Priests endeavour to support the 
authority of their respective religious systems, and every 
species of degrading superstition, vanish into smoke, when 
examined by the light of modern science ; and there can be no 
question that an enlightened Missionary would, in many in- 
stances, find the principles and the instruments of natural 
philosophy important auxiliaries in undermining the fabric of 
heathen idolatry and priestcraft. They tend to dissipate a 
thousand idle terrors which haunt and agitate the human mind ; 
to detect a thousand kinds of imposture by which it has been 
held in cruel bondage ; and to prevent the perpetration of those 
deeds of cruelty which have uniformly marked the reign of Su- 
perstition.* Had our forefathers connected a knowledge of 
this subject with their study of the Scriptures, they would not 
have brought upon themselves that indelible disgrace which 
now attaches to their memories, on account of their having 
condemned and burned at the stake hundreds of unhappy wo- 
men, accused of crimes of which they could not possibly have 
been guilty. In New-England, towards the close of the 17th 
century, the witchcraft phrensy rose so high, that the execu- 
tion of witches became a calamity more dreadful than the 
sword or the pestilence. Not only old women, but children of 
ten years were put to death ; young girls were stripped naked, 
and the marks of witchcraft searched for upon their bodies 
with the most indecent curiosity ; and those spots of the 
scurvy which age impresses upon the bodies of old men, were 
taken for evident signs of infernal power. So that ignorance 
of the laws and phenomena of nature has led even Christians 

* Mr. Douglas, in his " Hints on Missions," formerly referred to, when 
speaking of the facilities which Christians now possess for extensive mis- 
sionary exertions, suggests, that Natural Philosophy might be an import- 
ant auxiliary to Christian Missionaries. " All the ancient ' war weapons 
of victory,' excepting miracles, are at their disposal ; and new instruments 
of still greater potency, which the science of the latter days has been accu- 
mulating for a universal revolution of the mind, are ready to be brought 
into action, upon a scale of overpowering magnitude. Even the single re- 
source which is lost may yet be recompensed by equivalents, and a substi- 
tute, in many respects, may be found for miracles. The first effect of a 
miracle is, to rouse the attention, and to overawe opposing prejudices ; 
the second to affbrd a proof of the religion of which it is a scaling accom- 
paniment. The first object might be gained by the natural magic of expert- 
mental Philosophy : and as to tile second, the difference in the proof from 
miracles, lies rather in its being more circuitous, than in its being less con- 
clusive at the present day, than in the times of the Apostles." 



NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 217 

to commit act3 of injustice and horrid cruelty. For, let it be 
remembered, that it was Christian magistrates and ministers, 
under a pretended zeal for the honor of God, who sanctioned 
such cruel and unrighteous decrees. This consideration, 
viewed in connection with many others, tends to show, that 
the Christian revelation, considered abstractly by itself, with- 
out a reference to the visible system of the universe, is not 
sufficient for all the purposes for which it was intended ; as, 
on the other hand, the study of the works of nature is not suffi- 
cient of itself to lead the mind to the true knowledge of God, 
without the aid of the discoveries derived from the sacred ora- 
cles. For, although the Bible has been in the hands of Pro- 
testant Christians ever since the reformation, yet it is only 
since the light of modern science began to diffuse its influence, 
that the superstitions of the dark ages, and the vulgar notions 
respecting witchcraft, necromancy, and other species of infer- 
nal agency, began to vanish, even from the minds of Christian 
teachers ; as is evident from the writing of many eminent 
divines who flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries. 
As the two revelations which God has given us throw a mutual 
lustre on each other ; the one must always be considered as 
incomplete without the other. Both are necessary in order 
" to made the man of God perfect," and to enable him to pro- 
secute, with intelligence and success, the great objects of re- 
ligion ; and the Christian minister who affects to despise the 
aids of science in the cause of religion, has yet much to learn 
with respect to some of the grand bearings of the Christian 
system. 

3. The investigations of natural philosophy unfold to us the 
incessant agency, of God, and the plans by which his wise and 
benevolent designs in the system of nature are accomplished. 
From the immeasurable globes of heaven, down to the mi- 
nutest atoms, we perceive a regular chain of causes and ef- 
fects, conspiring, in a thousand different modes, to accomplish 
the purposes of infinite wisdom and goodness. The operation 
of central forces, and of the law of gravitation on the earth 
and in the heavens — the hydrostatical laws which regulate the 
pressure and the motion of fluids — the chemical properties ot 
the atmosphere, its undulatory, refractive, and reflective pow- 
ers — the motion of the rays of light, and the infinite variety of 
effects they produce — the process of evaporation — the agen- 
cies of electricity and galvanism — the properties of the mag- 
net, and the chemical action of acids and alkalies, and of the 
minutest particles of matter upon each other — ought to be 
viewed as so many modifications of the agency of Deity, and 



218 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

as manifestations of his Wisdom, in carrying forward those 
plans which regard the interests of his universal kingdom ; 
just as we consider the rise and,fall of empires, the revolutions 
of nations, and the circulation of the Scriptures in heathen 
lands, as so many acts of his moral administration as the 
Governor of mankind. For let it be carefully remembered, 
that all these physical agencies have ultimately a moral and 
intellectual bearing ; and are essentially connected with every 
other part of God's providential procedure. Though we may 
be apt to consider them as so many detached and insulated 
pieces of machinery, with which we have little concern, or 
may even disdain to notice their mode of operation ; yet, in the 
All-comprehensive mind of Him who takes in, at one glance, 
the whole chain of causes and effects, they are as essentially 
connected with his ultimate purposes, and the eternal destiny 
of man, as are the revelations of his word. — Were a single 
principle or motion which now animates the system of nature 
to cease — were the agencies of electricity, for example, or the 
principle of evaporation to be destroyed — the physical consti- 
tution of our globe would instantly be deranged ; nature would 
be thrown into confusion ; and the sentient and intellectual 
beings that now inhabit the earth would either be destroyed, or 
plunged into an abyss of misery. If, therefore, we admit that 
the moral agency of God is worthy of our contemplation, we 
ought to consider his physical operations also as no less worthy 
of our study and investigation ; since they form the ground- 
work of all his other manifestations. 

There is nothing, however, which so strikingly characterizes 
the bulk of mankind, and even the great mass of the Christian 
world, as that apathy and indifference with which they view 
the wonders of creation which surround them. They can 
look on all that is grand, and beautiful, and beneficent in na- 
ture, without feeling the least sentiment of admiration, or of 
gratitude to that Being who is incessantly operating within 
them and around them ; and they are disposed to consider the 
experiments of philosophers, by which the wonderful agency 
of God is unveiled, as only so many toys and amusements for 
the entertainment of children. They would prefer the paltry 
entertainments of a card-table, of a ball-room, or of a gossiping 
party, to the inspection of the nicest, pieces of Divine mechan- 
ism, and to the contemplation of the most august scene in na- 
ture. However lightly some religionists may be disposed to 
treat this subject, that spirit of indifference with which the 
visible works of God are treated, must be considered as flow- 
ing from the same depraved principle, which leads multitudes 



CHEMISTRT. 219 

to reject the revelations of the Bible, and to trifle with their 
everlasting interests. " Man," says Rollin, " lives in the 
midst of a world of which he is the sovereign, as a stranger, 
who looks with indifference upon all that passes in it, and as if 
it was not his concern. The universe, in all its parts, declares 
and points out its Author ; but, for the most part, to the deaf 
and blind, who have neither ears to hear, nor eyes to see. 
One of the greatest services that philosophy can do us, is to 
awaken us from tHs drowsiness, and rouse us from this le- 
thargy, which is a dishonor to humanity, and in a manner 
reduces us below the beasts, whose stupidity is the conse- 
quence of their nature, and not the effect of neglect or indif- 
ference. It awakens our curiosity, it excites our attention, 
and leads us as it were by the hand, through all the part3 of 
nature, to induce us to study and search out the wonderful 
works of it." — Belles Lettres, vol. 4. 

Since, therefore, the science of natural philosophy is con- 
versant about the works of the Almighty, and its investigations 
have a direct tendency to illustrate the perfections of his 
nature, to unveil the plan of his operations, to unfold the laws 
by which he governs the kingdom of universal nature, and to 
display the order, symmetry, and proportion, which reign 
throughout the whole — it would be needless to enter into any 
further process of reasoning, to show that the study of it is 
connected with the great objects of religion. Whatever 
studies tend to raise our minds to the Supreme Ruler of all 
worlds — -to expand our views of his infinite knowledge and 
wisdom, to excite our gratitude and our admiration of the 
beneficent designs which appear in all his arrangements — to 
guard us against erroneous conceptions of his providential 
procedure — and to furnish us with important auxiliaries for 
extending the influence of his religion through the world — 
must always be interesting to every Christian who wishes to 
enlarge his intellectual views, and to make progress in the 
knowledge of God. 

CHEMISTRY. 

This science, which is intimately related to the preceding, 
has for its object to ascertain the ingredients, or first princi- 
ples, of which all matter is composed — to examine the com- 
pounds formed by the combination of these ingredients — to 
investigate those changes in natural bodies, which are not ac- 
companied with sensible motion, and the nature of the power 
which produces these combinations and changes. 

Within the limits of the last half century, the empire of 



220 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Chemistry has been wonderfully extended. From an obscure 
and humble place among th« objects of study, it has risen to a 
high and dignified station among those sciences which improve 
and adorn the human mind. No longer confined to the paltry 
and mercenary object of searching for the philosopher's stone, 
or of furnishing a little amusement, it now extends its sway 
over all the arts which minister to the comfort and improve- 
ment of social life, and over every species of animate and 
inanimate matter, within the range of human investigation. 
" The forms and appearances," (says Sir Humphry Davy,) 
" of the beings and substances of the external world, are 
almost infinitely various, and they are in a state of continued 
alteration. Even the earth itself, throughout its whole sur- 
face, undergoes modifications. Acted on by moisture and 
air, it affords the food of plants ; an immense number of vege- 
table productions arise from apparently the same materials ; 
these become the substance of animals ; one species of ani- 
mal matter is converted into another ; the most perfect and 
beautiful of the forms of organized life ultimately decay, and 
are resolved into inorganic aggregates ; and the same elemen- 
tary substances, differently arranged, are contained in the inert 
soil ; or bloom, and emit fragrance in the flower ; or become, 
in animals, the active organs of mind and intelligence. In 
artificial operations, changes of the same order occur : sub- 
stances having the characters of earth, are converted into 
metals ; clays and sands are united, so as to become porce- 
lain ; earths and alkalies are combined into glass ; acrid and 
corrosive matters are formed from tasteless substances ; 
colors are fixed upon stuffs ; or changed, or made to disap- 
pear ; and the productions of the vegetable, mineral, and ani- 
mal kingdoms, are converted into new forms, and made sub- 
servient to the purposes of civilized life. — To trace, in detail, 
these diversified and complicated phenomena ; to arrange 
them, and deduce general laws from their analogies, is the 
business of chemistry." — Elements of Chemical Philosophy. 

Chemists have arranged the general forms of matter into 
the four following classes. The first class consists of Solids, 
which form the principal parts of the globe, and which differ 
from each other in hardness, color, opacity, transparency, 
density, and other properties. The second class consists of 
Fluids, such as water, oils, spirits, &c, whose parts possess 
freedom of motion, and require great mechanical force to 
make them occupy a smaller space. The third class com 
prehends Elastic Fluids, or Gases, which exist freely in the 
atmosphere ; but may be confined by solids and fluids, and 



CHEMISTRY. 221 

their properties examined. Their parts are highly moveable, 
compressible, and expansive ; they are all transparent ; they 
present two or three varieties of color ; and they differ greatly 
in density. The fourth class comprehends Ethereal Sub- 
stances, which are known to us only in their states of motion, 
when acting upon our organs of sense, and which are not sus- 
ceptible of being confined. Such are the rays of light, and 
radiant heat, which are incessantly in motion, throughout the 
spaces that intervene between our globe, and the sun and the 
stars. — Chemists divide the substances in nature also into 
Simple and Compound. Simple Substances are those 
which have never yet been decomposed, nor formed by art. 
Compound Substances are those which are formed by the 
union of two or more simple substances. The following are 
all the simple substances, with which we are at present ac- 
quainted : CaloPvIC, Light, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, 
Hydrogen, Sulphur, Phosphorus, the Metals, and some 
of the Earths. — All that I propose, under this article, is, 
simply to state some of the properties of two or three of these 
simple substances. 

Caloric, or elementary fire, is the name now given by 
chemists to that element or property, which, combined with 
various bodies, produces the sensation of heat, while it is pass- 
ing from one body to another. This substance appears to 
pervade the whole system of nature. There are six different 
sources, from whence Caloric may be procured. It may be 
produced by combustion, in which process the oxygen gas of 
the atmosphere is decomposed, and caloric, one of its com- 
ponent parts, set at liberty — by friction, or the rubbing of two 
substances against each other — by 'percussion, as the striking 
of steel against. a piece of flint — by the mixture of two or more 
substances ; as when sulphuric acid is poured upon water or 
magnesia — by electricity and galvanism. The discharge of 
an electric or galvanic battery, will produce a more intense 
degree of heat than any other means whatever. But the prin- 
cipal, and probably the original source of caloric, is the Sun, 
which furnishes the earth with a regular supply for the support 
and nourishment of the animal and vegetable tribes. From 
this source it moves at the rate of 195,000 miles in a second 
of time ; for it has been already stated, that the sun sends 
forth rays of heat, which are distinct from those which produce 
illumination, and which accompany them in their course 
through the ethereal regions. 

Caloric is the cause of fluidity, in all substances which are 
capable of becoming fluid. A certain portion, or dose of it* 

19 



'222 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

reduces a solid body to the state of an incompressible fluid ; 
a larger portion brings it to the state of an aeriform or gaseous 
fluid. Thus, a certain portion of caloric reduces ice to a state 
of water ; a larger portion converts it into steam or vapor. 
There is reason to believe, that the hardest rocks, the densest 
metals, and every solid substance on the face of the earth 
might be converted into a fluid, and even into a gas, were 
they submitted to the action of a very high temperature. This 
substance is called sensible caloric, when it produces the sen- 
sation of heal ; and latent caloric, when it forms an insensible 
part of the substance of bodies. — All bodies are, in a greatci 
or less degree, conductors of caloric. Metals and liquids are 
good conductors of heat, but silk, cotton, wool, wood, &c. are 
bad conductors of it. For example, if we put a short poker 
into the fire at one end, it will soon become hot at the other ; 
but this will not happen with a piece of wood of the same 
length, and under the same circumstances. A person with a 
silken purse, containing metal coin, may stand so near the 
fire, as to make the metal almost too hot to touch, though the 
temperature of the purse will apparently be scarce altered. 
If a hand be put upon a hot, body, part of the caloric leaves 
the hot body and enters the hand, producing the sensation of 
heat. On the contrary, if a hand be put on a cold body, as a 
piece of iron, or another cold hand, part of the caloric con- 
tained in the hand, leaves it to unite with the colder body, pro- 
ducing the sensation of cold. In short, caloric is diffused 
throughout all bodies, and enters into every operation in 
nature ; and were it not for the influence of this subtile fluid, 
there is reason to believe, that the whole matter of the universe 
would be condensed into a solid mass. 

Oxygen is a very pure, subtile, and elastic substance, 
generally diffused throughout nature ; but is never found unless 
in combination with other substances. It is one of the most 
important agents in nature ; there being scarcely a single pro- 
cess, whether natural or artificial, in which oxygen has not 
some important share. When combined with caloric, it is 
called oxygen gas, which forms one of the constituent parts of 
the atmosphere. In this state, it forms the principle of com- 
bustion ; producing the most rapid deflagration of all com- 
bustible substances. If a lighted taper be let down into a jar 
of oxygen gas, it burns with such splendor, that the eye can 
scarcely bear the glare of light ; and, at the same time, pro- 
duces a much greater heat than when burning in common air. 
If a steel wire, or a thin file, having a sharp point, armed with 
# bit of wood in inflammation, be introduced into a jar filled 



CHEMISTRY. 223 

with this gas, the steel will take fire, and its combustion will 
continue producing a most brilliant phenomenon. It has 
been proved, by numerous experiments, that this gas is so 
essential to combustion, that no substance will burn in common 
air, which has been previously deprived of its oxygen. It is 
also essential to the support of animal life ; so that man, and 
all the inferior ranks of animated nature, may be said to 
depend upon this fluid for their existence. Its basis gives the 
acid character to all mineral and vegetable salts : and the 
calcination of metals is altogether effected by their union with 
oxygen. It constitutes the basis both of the atmosphere 
which surrounds the earth, and of the water which forms its 
rivers, seas, and oceans. It pervades the substance of all the 
vegetable tribes, and enables them to perform their functions ; 
and, in combination w r ith the different metals, serves the most 
important purposes in the useful arts. In the operation of 
this elementary principle, we perceive a striking display of the 
agency of the Creator, and of the admirable means which his 
wisdom has contrived for preserving, in due order, the system 
of nature. And, as this wonderful substance is so essentially 
necessary to animal and vegetable existence, every thing is so 
arranged as to produce a regular supply of it, notwithstanding 
its incessant changes, and the multifarious combinations into 
which it is continually entering. 

One of the most extraordinary effects of oxygen appears, 
when it is combined in a certain proportion with nitrogen, so 
as to form the gaseous oxide of nitrogen, or what is commonly 
called nitrous oxide. This gas consists of 63 parts nitrogen, 
and 37 oxygen, by weight. When inhaled into the lungs, it 
produces an extraordinary elevation of the animal spirits, a 
propensity to leaping and running, involuntary fits of laughter, 
a rapid flow of vivid ideas, and a thousand delightful emotions ; 
without being accompanied with any subsequent feelings of 
debility. This circumstance shows what a variety of delight- 
ful or pernicious effects might flow from the slightest change 
in the constitution of the atmosphere, were the hand of the 
Almighty to interpose in altering the proportion of its consti- 
tuent parts : for atmospheric air is composed of 79 parts of 
nitrogen, and 21 of oxygen, which is not a very different pro- 
portion from the above. Another gas called nitric oxide, com- 
posed of 56 parts oxygen, and 44 nitrogen, produces instant 
suffocation in all animals that attempt to breathe it. One of 
the most corrosive acids, the nitrous acid, or aquafortis, is com- 
posed of 75 parts oxygen, and 25 parts nitrogen ; so that we 
are every moment breathing a certain substance, which, iu 



224 • THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

another combination, would produce the most dreadful pain, 
and cause our immediate destruction. What a striking proof 
does this afford, of the infinite comprehension of the Divine 
mind, in foreseeing all the consequences of the elements of 
nature, and in directing their numerous combinations in such 
a manner as to promote the happiness of animated beings ! 

Nitrogen, or azote, is a substance generally diffused 
throughout nature, and particularly in animated bodies. It is 
not to be found in a solid or liquid state, but, combined with 
caloric, it forms nitrogen gas, which is one of the ingredients 
of the atmosphere. It is incapable of supporting either flame 
or animal life. This is proved by introducing an animal, or a 
burning candle, into a vessel full of this gas : in which case, 
the animal is suddenly suffocated, and the candle instantly ex- 
tinguished. It is this gas which is expelled from the lungs at 
every respiration, and, rising over our heads, soon enters into 
new combinations. Though it is destructive to animal life, it 
appears to be favorable to plants, which vegetate freely when 
surrounded with nitrogen. 

Hydrogen is another elementary substance, abundant in 
nature, and, when united to caloric, forms Hydrogen Gas. It 
is one of the constituent parts of water ; for it has been com- 
pletely demonstrated by experiment, that water is composed 
of 85 parts by weight of oxygen, and 15 of hydrogen, in every 
hundred parts of the fluid. This gas was formerly known by 
tiiename of inflammable air. It is distinguished among miners, 
by the name of fire-damp ; it abounds in coal-mines, and some- 
times produces the most tremendous explosions. It is inca- 
pable, by itself, of supporting combustion, and cannot be 
breathed without the most imminent danger. It is the chief 
constituent of oils, fats, spirits, ether, coals, and bitumen ; and 
is supposed to be one of the agents which produce the ignes 
fatui and the northern lights. It is the lightest of all ponderable 
bodies ; being from twelve to fifteen times lighter than com- 
mon air. A hundred cubic inches of it weigh about 21 grains. 
On account of its great levity it is used for filling air-balloons. 
In contact with atmospheric air, it burns with a pale blue color. 
When mixed with oxygen gas, it may be exploded like gun- 
powder, with a violent report. Carburetted hydi*ogen gas, 
which is carbon dissolved in hydrogen, is that beautiful gas, 
which is now employed in lighting our streets, shops, and 
manufactories. 

Carbon is another simple substance extensively diffused 
throughout nature. It is found pure and solid only in the dia- 
mond ; but it may be procured in the state of charcoal, by 



CHEMISTRY. 225 

burning a piece of wood closely covered with sand, in a cruci- 
ble. Carbon enters into the composition of bitumen and pit 
coal, and of most animal, and some mineral substances ; and it 
forms nearly the whole of- the solid basis of all vegetables, 
from the most delicate flower to the stately oak. It is also a 
component part of sugar, and of all kinds of wax, oils, gums, 
and resins. It combines with iron in various proportions, and 
the results are, cast iron and steel. Black lead is a composi- 
tion of nine parts of carbon to one of iron ; and is, therefore, 
called a carburet of iron. Carbon is indestructible by age, 
preserves its identity in all the combinations into which it en- 
ters. — Carbonic acid gas is a combination of carbon and 
oxygen. It is found in a state of combination with lime, 
forming limestone, marble, and chalk ; and may be separated 
from them by heat, or by means of the mineral acids. This 
gas, which was formerly called fixed air, is found in mines, 
caves, the bottoms of w T ells, wine cellars, brewers' vats, and 
in the neighborhood of lime-kilns. It is known to miners by 
the name of the choke-damp, and too frequently runs on deadly 
errands. It extinguishes flame and animal life. It is the 
heaviest of all the gases ; being nearly twice the weight of 
common air, and twenty times the weight of hydrogen. It 
may, therefore, be poured from one vessel to another ; and if 
a small quantity of it be poured upon a lighted taper, it will be 
instantly extinguished. It is a powerful antiseptic, or pre- 
server from putrefaction. Meat which has been sealed up in 
it (says Mr. Parkes) has been known to have preserved its 
texture and appearance for more than 20 years. There is no 
substance of more importance in civilized life than the differ- 
ent forms of Carbon. " In nature," says Sir H. Davy, " this 
element is constantly active in an imp rtant series of opera- 
tions. It is evolved in fermentation and combustion, in car- 
bonic acid ; it is separated from oxygen in the organs of plants; 
it is a principal element in animal structures ; and is found in 
different forms in almost all the products of organized beings." 
Sulphur is a substance which has been known from the 
earliest ages. It was used by the ancients in medicine, and 
its fumes have, for more than 2000 years, been employed in 
bleaching wool. It is found combined with many mineral 
substances, as arsenic, antimony, copper, and most of the 
metallic ores. It exists in many mineral waters, and in com- 
bination with vegetable and animal matters, but is most abun- 
dant in volcanic countries, particularly in the neighborhood of 
Vesuvius, Etna, and Hecla, in Iceland. It is a solid, opaque, 
combustible substance, of a pale yellow color, very brittle, and 

19* 



226 * THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

almost without taste or smell. Its specific gravity is nearly 
twice that of water ; it is a non-conductor of electricity, and, 
of course, becomes electric by friction. When heated to the 
temperature of 170° of Fahrenheit's thermometer, it rises up 
in the form of a fine powder, which is easily collected in a 
proper vessel and is named the flowers of sulphur. It is 
insoluble in water, but may be dissolved in oils, in spirit 
of wine, and in hydrogen gas. When sulphur is heated to the 
temperature of 302° in the open air, it takes fire spontaneously, 
and burns with a pale blue flame, and emits a great quantity of 
fumes of a strong suffocating odour. When heated to the 
temperature of 570°, it burns with a bright white flame, and 
emits a vast quantity of fumes. When these fumes are col- 
lected, they are found to consist entirely of sulphuric acid ; so 
that sulphur, by combustion, is converted into an acid. It is 
the base of several compound substances. It unites with 
oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, the alkalies, the 
metals, and some of the earths. This substance is of great 
importance in medicine, as it is found to penetrate to the ex- 
tremities of the most minute vessels, and to impregnate all the 
secretions. It is also used in the arts, particularly in bleach- 
ing and dying ; it forms a very large proportion of gun-pow- 
der ; and one of its most common, but not least useful proper- 
ties, is that of its combustibility, by which, with the help of a 
tinder-box, light is almost instantaneously produced. As this 
substance has not yet been decomposed, it is considered by 
chemists, in the mean time, as one of the simple substances. 

Phosphorus is another simple combustible substance, but 
is never found in a pure state in nature. It is commonly 
united to oxygen in a state of phosphoric acid, which is found 
in different animal, vegetable, and mineral substances. It 
was first discovered by Brandt, a chemist of Hamburgh, in the 
year 1667, and afterwards by the Honorable Mr. Boyle, in 
1679. It was formerly obtained by a disgusting process ; but 
it is now extracted from the bones of animals, by burning them,, 
and then reducing them to a fine powder, and afterwards pour- 
ing sulphuric acid upon them. This substance, when pure, 
resembles bees' wax, being of a clear, transparent, yellowish 
color ; it is insoluble in water ; it may be cut with a knife, or 
twisted to pieces with the fingers ; and it is about double the 
specific gravity of water. Its most remarkable property is its 
very strong attraction for oxygen, from which circumstance, 
it burns spontaneously in the open air at the temperature of 
43° ; that is, it attracts the oxygen gas from the atmosphere, 
and heat and flame are produced. It gradually consumes 



CHEMISTRY. 227 

when exposed to the common temperature of air, emits a 
whitish smoke, and is luminous in the dark ; for this reason it 
is kept in phials of water ; and as the heat of the hand is suf- 
ficient to inflame it, it should seldom be handled except under 
water. At the temperature of 99° it melts ; it evaporates at 
219°, and boils at 554°. When heated to 148° it takes fire, 
and burns with a very bright flame, and gives out a very large 
quantity of white smoke, which is luminous in the dark ; at 
the same time it emits an odor, which has some resemblance 
to that of garlic ; and this smoke, when collected, is proved 
to be an acid. It burns with the greatest splendor in oxygen 
gas, and when taken internally, it is found to be poisonous. 
If any light substance, capable of conducting heat, be placed 
upon the surface of boiling water, and a bit of phosphorus be laid 
upon it, the heat of the water will be sufficient to set the phos- 
phorus on fire. If we write a few words on paper with a bit 
of phosphorus fixed in a quill, when the writing is carried into 
a dark room it will appear beautifully luminous. If a piece of 
phosphorus, about the size of a pea, be dropped into a tumbler 
of hot water, and a stream of oxygen gas forced directly upon 
it, it will display the most brilliant combustion under water 
that can be imagined. All experiments with phosphorus, 
however, require to be performed with great caution. This 
substance is used in making phosphoric match-bottles, phos- 
phoric oil, phosphoric tapers, and various phosphoric fire- 
works. PJiospJiorized hydrogen gas is produced by bits of 
phophorus remaining some hours in hydrogen gas. It is sup- 
posed to be this gas which is often seen hovering on the sur- 
face of burial grounds and marshes, known in Scotland by the 
name ofspunkie, and in England by that of ivill-o-the-ivisp. 

Some animals, as the glow-worm and the fire-fly, and fish in 
a putrescent state, exhibit phosphorescent qualities. M. Peron 
describes a singular instance of this kind in an animal which 
he calls the pyrosoma atlanticum, which he observed in his 
voyage from Europe to the Isle of France. The darkness 
was intense when it was first discovered ; and all at once, 
there appeared at some distance, as it were a vast sheet of 
phosphorus floating on the waves, which occupied a great 
space before the vessel. When the vessel had passed through 
this inflamed part of the sea, it was found, that this prodigious 
light was occasioned by an immense number of small animals, 
which swam at different depths, and appeared to assume vari- 
ous forms. Those which were deepest looked like great red 
hot cannon balls, while those on the surface resembled cylin- 
ders of red hot iron. Some of them were caught, and were 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

found to vary in size from 3 to 7 inches. All the exterior 
surface of the animal was bristled with thick long tubercles, 
shining like so many diamonds ; and these seemed to be the 
principal seat of its wonderful phosphorescence. 

Such is a brief description of the principal elementary sub- 
stances, which, in a thousand diversified forms, pervade the 
system of nature, and produce all that variety which we behold 
in the atmosphere, the waters, the earth, and the various pro- 
cesses of the arts. It is probable that some of these sub- 
stances are compounds, though they have not yet been 
decomposed. Yea, it is possible, and not at all improbable, 
that there are but two, or at most three elementary sub- 
stances in nature, the various modifications of which produce 
all the beauties and sublimities in the universe. Perhaps 
caloric, oxygen, and hydrogen, may ultimately be found to 
constitute all the elementary principles of nature. — Without 
prosecuting this subject farther, I shall conclude this article 
with a few cursory reflections, tending to illustrate its con- 
nexion with religion. 

The remarks which I have already thrown out in reference 
to Natural Philosophy, will equally apply to the science of 
Chemistry ; and, therefore, do not require to be repeated. In 
addition to these, the following observations may be stated : — 

1. This science displays, in a striking point of view, the 
wisdom and goodness of God, in producing, by the most simple 
means, the most astonishing and benevolent effects. All the 
varied phenomena we perceive, throughout the whole system 
of sublunary nature, are produced by a combination of six or 
seven simple substances. I formerly adverted to the infinite 
variety which exists in the vegetable kingdom, (see pp. 78 — 
79.) About fifty-six thousand different species of plants have 
already been discovered by botanists. All these, from the 
humble shrub to the cedar of Lebanon, which adorn the sur- 
face of the globe, in every clime, with such a diversity of 
forms, shades, and colors, are the result of the combinations 
of " four or five natural substances — caloric, light, water, air, 
and carbon." " When we consider," says Mr. Parkes, " that 
the many thousand tribes of vegetables are not only all formed 
from a few simple substances, but that they all enjoy the same 
sun, vegetate in the same medium, and are supplied with the 
same nutriment, w 7 e cannot but be struck with the rich econo- 
my of Nature, and are almost induced to doubt the evidence 
of those senses with which the God of nature has furnished us. 
That it should be possible so to modify and intermingle a few 
simple substances, and thence produce all the variety of form. 



CHEMISTRY. 229 

color, odor, &c. which are observable in the different families 
of vegetables, is a phenomenon too astonishing for our com- 
prehension. Nothing short of Omnipotence could have 
provided such a paradise, for man." — Chemical Catechism, 
chap. 9. 

" Soft roll your incense, herbs, and fruits, and flowers, 

In mingled clouds to Him, whose sun exalts, 

Whose breath perfumes you, and whose peucil paints." 

Thomson. 

What an admirable view is here opened up of the economy of 
Divine wisdom, and of the beneficent care which has been 
taken to secure the comfort and happiness of every living 
creature : and how ungrateful a disposition must it indicate in 
rational beings to overlook such benevolent arrangements ! 
It is highly probable, that in all other worlds disposed through- 
out the universe, an infinite diversity of scenery exists, and 
that no one globe or system exactly resembles another ; and 
yet, it is probable, that the primary elements of matter, or the 
few simple substances of which our world is composed, may be 
of the same nature as those which form the constituent parts of 
every other system ; and may give birth to all the variety which 
exists throughout the wide extent of creation, and to all the 
changes and revolutions through which the different systems 
may pass, during every period of infinite duration. 

2. From this science we have every reason to conclude, 
that matter is indestrcutible. In the various changes that take 
place in material substances, the particles of matter are not 
destroyed, but only assume new forms, and enter into new 
combinations. When a piece of wood, for example, is burned 
to ashes, none of its principles are destroyed ; the elementary 
substances of which it was composed, are only separated from 
p^ one another, and formed into new compounds. Carbon, as 
* already stated, appears to be indestructible by age, and to pre- 
serve its essential properties, in every mode of its existence. 
That Being, indeed, who created matter at first, may reduce it 
to nothing when he pleases ; but it is highly improbable that 
his power will ever be interposed to produce this effect ; or that 
any particle of matter which now exists, will ever be annihi- 
lated, into whatever new or varied combinations it may enter. 
When any particular world, or assemblage of material exist- 
ence, has remained in its original state for a certain period of 
duration, and accomplished all the ends it was intended to 
subserve, in that state, the materials of which it is composed, 
will, in all probability, be -employed for erecting a new system, 
and establishing a new series of events, in which new scenes, 



230 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

and new beauties and sublimities will arise from new and vari- 
ed combinations. For the Creator does nothing in vain. 
But to annihilate, and again to create, would be operating in 
vain ; and we uniformly find, that in all the arrangements ot 
Deity, in the present state of things, Nature is frugal and 
economical in all her proceedings ; so that there is no process, 
when thoroughly investigated, that appears unnecessary or su- 
perfluous. 

From the fact, that matter appears to be indestructible, we 
may learn, that the Creator may, with the self-same materials 
which now exist around us, new-model and arrange the globe 
we inhabit, after the general conflagration, so as to make a 
more glorious world to arise out of its ashes ; purified from 
those physical evils which now exist ; and fitted for the ac- 
commodation either of renovated men, or of other pure intel- 
ligences. From the same fact, combined with the considera- 
tion of the infinite diversity of effects which the simple 
substances of nature are capable of producing, we may be 
enabled to form a conception of the ease with which the Crea- 
tor may new-model our bodies, after they have been dissolved 
in the dust ; and how, from the same original atoms, he may 
construct and adorn them with more glorious forms, and more 
delightful and exquisite senses than they now possess. 

In short, the rapid progress which chemical science is now 
making, promises, ere long, to introduce improvements among 
the human race, which will expand their views of the agency of 
God, counteract many physical evils, and promote, to an ex- 
tent which has never yet been experienced, their social and 
domestic enjoyment. The late discoveries of Chemistry tend 
to convince us, that the properties and powers of natural sub- 
stances are only beginning to be discovered. Who could 
have imagined, a century ago, that an invisible substance is 
contained in a piece of coal, capable of producing the most 
beautiful and splendid illumination — that this substance may 
be conveyed, in a few moments, through pipes of several miles 
in length — and that a city, containing several hundred thou- 
sands of inhabitants, may be instantly lighted up by it, without 
the aid of either wax, oil, or tallow? Who could have imagin- 
ed, that one of the ingredients of the air we breathe is the 
principle of combustion — that a rod of iron may be made to 
burn in it with a brilliancy that dazzles the eyes — that a piece 
of charcoal may be made to burn with a white and splendid 
light, which is inferior only to the solar rays — and that the dia- 
mond is nothing more than carbon in a crystallized state, and 
differs only in a slight degree from a bit of common charcoal? 



ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 231 

Who could have surmised, that a substance would be disco- 
vered, of such a degree of levity, as would have power suffi- 
cient to buoy up a number of men to the upper parts of the 
atmosphere, and enable them to swim, in safety, above the 
regions of the clouds ] These are only specimens of still more 
brilliant discoveries which will, doubtless, be brought to light 
by the researches of future generations. We have reason to 
believe, that the investigations of this science will, in due time, 
enable us to counteract most of the diseases incident to the 
human frame ; and to prevent many of those fatal accidents to 
which mankind are now exposed. Davy's safety lamp has al- 
ready preserved many individuals from destruction, when 
working in coal mines ; and thousands, in after ages, will be 
indebted to this discovery, for security from the dreadful explo- 
sions of hydrogen gas. And, we trust, that the period is not 
far distant, when specific antidotes to the diseases peculiar to 
the different trades and occupations in which mankind are em- 
ployed will be discovered ; and the health and vigour of the 
mass of society be preserved unimpaired, amidst all the pro- 
cesses in which they may be engaged. — In fine, the rapid pro- 
gress of chemical discovery carries forward our views to a 
period, when man, having thoroughly explored the powers of 
nature, and subjected them, in some measure, to his control, 
will be enabled to ward off most of those physical evils with 
which he is now annoyed, and to raise himself, in some degree, 
to the dignity and happiness he enjoyed before moral evil had 
shed its baleful influence on our terrestrial system. Such a 
period corresponds to many of the descriptions contained in 
the Sacred Oracles of the* millennial state of the church ; when 
social, domestic, moral, and intellectual improvement shall be 
carried to the utmost perfection which our sublunary station 
will permit ; when wars shall cease ; when the knowledge of 
Jehovah shall cover the earth ; when every man shall sit under 
his vine and fig-tree, without being exposed to the least alarm ; 
and when there shall be nothing to hurt nor destroy throughout 
the church of the living God. And, therefore, we ought to 
consider the various discoveries and improvements now going 
forward in this, and other departments of science as preparing 
the way for the introduction of this long-expected and auspi- 
cious era. 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, 

The general object of both these sciences is to investigate 
and describe the structure and economy of the animal frame. 
Anatomy dissects dead bodies, Physiology investigates the 



232 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

functions of those that are living. The former examines the 
fluids, muscles, viscera, and all the other parts of the human 
body, in a state of rest ; the latter considers them in a state of 
action. 

The parts of the human body have been distinguished into 
two different kinds — solids and fluids. The solid parts are 
bones, cartilages, ligaments, muscles, tendons, membranes, 
nerves, arteries, veins, hair, nails, and ducts, or fine tubular 
vessels of various kinds. Of these solid parts, the following 
compound organs consist ; the brain and cerebellum ; the 
lungs ; the heart ; the stomach ; the liver ; the spleen ; the 
pancreas ; the glands ; the kidneys ; the intestines ; the mesen- 
tery ; the larynx ; and the organs of sense — the eyes, ears, 
nose, and tongue. The fluid parts are, the saliva, or spittle, 
phlegm, serum, the chyle, blood, bile, milk, lympha, urine, the 
pancreatic juice, and the aqueous humour of the eyes. The 
human body is divided into three great cavities — the head ; 
the thorax, or breast ; and the abdomen, or belly. The head 
is formed of the bones of the cranium, and encloses the brain 
and cerebellum. The thorax is composed of the vertebras of 
the back, the sternum, and true ribs ; and contains the heart, 
the pericardium, the breast, and the lungs. The abdomen is 
separated from the thorax by means of the diaphragm, which 
is a fleshy and membranous substance, composed, for the most 
part, of muscular fibres. This cavity is formed by the lumbar 
vertebrce, the os sacrum, the ossa innominata, the false ribs, the 
peritonaeum, and a variety of muscles. It encloses the stom- 
ach, intestines, omentum, or caul, the liver, pancreas, spleen, 
kidneys, and urinary bladder. — Without attempting any tech- 
nical description of these different parts, which could convey 
no accurate ideas to a general reader, I shall merely state 
two or three facts in relation to the system of bones, muscles, 
and blood-vessels, as specimens of the wonderful structure of 
our bodily frame. 

The Bones may be regarded as the prop-work or basis on 
which the human body is constructed. They bear the same rela- 
tion to the animal system, as the wood-work to a building. They 
give shape and firmness to the body ; they support its various 
parts, and prevent it from sinking by its own weight ; they serve 
as levers for the muscles to act upon, and to defend the brain, 
the heart, the lungs, and other vital parts from external injury. 
Of the bones, some are hollow, and filled with marrow; others 
are solid throughout ; some are very small ; others very large; 
some are round, and others flat; some are plane, and others 
convex or concave ; — and all these several forms are requisite 



ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 

for the situations they occupy, and the respective functions 
they have to perform. — The spine, or back-bone, consists of 
24 vertebrae, or small bones, connected together by cartilages, 
articulations, and ligaments ; of which 7 belong to the neck, 
12 to the back, and 5 to the loins. In the centre of each ver- 
tebra there is a hole for the lodgment and continuation of the 
spinal marrow, which extends from the brain to the rump. — 
From these vertebrse the arched bones called ribs proceed ; 
and seven of them join the breast-bone on each side, where 
they terminate in cartilages, and form the cavity of the thorax 
or chest. The five lower ribs, with a number of muscles, 
form the cavity of the abdomen, as above stated. The spine 
is one of the most admirable mechanical contrivances in the 
human frame. Had it consisted of only three or four bones, 
or had the holes in each bone, not exactly corresponded, and 
fitted into each other, the spinal marrow would have been 
bruised, and life endangered at every bending of the body. — 
The skull is composed of 10 bones, and about 51 are reckon- 
ed to belong to the face, the orbits of the eyes, and the jaws 
in which the teeth are fixed. There are seldom more than 16 
teeth in each jaw, or 32 in all. — The number of bones in a 
human body is generally estimated at about 245 ; of which 
there are reckoned, in the skull, head, and face, 61 ; in the 
trunk, 64 ; in the arms, and hands, 60 ; in the legs, and feet, 
60. The bones are provided with ligaments or hinges, which 
bind and fasten them together, and prevent them from being 
displaced by any violent motion ; and, that the ligaments may 
work smoothly into one another, the joints are separated by 
cartilages or gristles, and provided with a gland for the secre- 
tion of oil or mucus, which is constantly exuding into the joints ; 
so that every requisite is provided by our Benevolent Creator, 
to prevent pain, and to promote facility of motion. " In con- 
sidering the joints," says Dr. Paley, " there is nothing, perhaps, 
which ought to move our gratitude more than the reflection, 
how well they wear. A limb shall swing upon its hinge, or play 
in its socket many hundred times in an hour, for 60 years to- 
gether, without diminution of agility ; v/hich is a long time for 
any thing to last ; for any thing so much worked as the joints 
are." 

The Muscular System. — A muscle is a bundle of fleshy, 
and sometimes of tendinous fibres. The fleshy fibres com- 
pose the body of the muscle ; and the tendinous fibres the ex- 
tremities. Some muscles are long and round ; some plain 
and circular ; some are spiral, and some have straight fibres. 
Some are double, having a tendon running through the body 

20 



234 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

from head to tail ; some have two or more tendinous branches 
running through, with various rows and orders of fibres. All 
these, and several other varieties, are essentially requisite foi 
the respective offices they have to perform in the animal sys- 
tem. The muscles constitute the fleshy part of the human 
body, and give it that varied and beautiful form we observe over 
all its surface. But their principal design is to serve as the 
organs of motion. They are inserted, by strong tendinous 
extremities, into the different bones of which the skeleton is 
composed ; and, by their contraction and distention, give rise 
to all the movements of the body. The muscles, therefore, 
may be considered as so many cords attached to the bones ; 
and the Author of Nature has fixed them according to the 
most perfect principles of mechanism, so as to produce the 
fittest motions in the parts for the movement of which they are 
intended. 

One of the most wonderful properties of the muscles is, the 
extraordinary force they exert, although they are composed of 
such slender threads or fibres. The following facts, in rela- 
tion to this point, are demonstrated by the celebrated Borelli, 
in his work, " De Motu Animalium." When a man lifts up 
with his teeth a weight of 200 pounds, with a rope fastened to 
the jaw-teeth, the muscles named Temporalis and JWasseter, 
with which people chew, and which perform this work, exert a 
force of above 15,0001bs. weight. If any one hanging his arm 
directly downwards lifts a weight of 20 pounds, with the third 
or last joint of his thumb, the muscle which bend the thumb 
and bears that weight, exerts a force of about three thousand 
pounds. When a man standing upon his feet, leaps or springs 
upwards to the height of two feet, if the weight of such a man 
be 150 pounds, the muscles employed in that action will exert 
a force 2000 times greater; that is to say, a force of about 
three hundred thousand pounds. The heart, at each pulse or 
contraction, by which it protrudes the blood out of the arteries 
into the veins, exerts a force of above a hundred thousand 
pounds. Who can contemplate this amazing strength of the 
muscular system, without admiration of the power and wisdom 
of the Creator, who has thus endued a bundle of threads, each 
of them smaller than a hair, with such an astonishing degree 
of mechanical force ! There have been reckoned about 446 
muscles in the human body, which have been dissected and 
distinctly described ; every one of which is essential to the 
performance of some one motion or other, which contributes 
to our ease and enjoyment; and, in most instances, a great 
number of them is required to perform their different functions 



ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 235 

at the same time. It has been calculated, that about a hun- 
dred muscles are employed every time we breathe. — " Breath- 
ing with ease," says Dr. Paley, " is a blessing of every mo- 
ment ; yet, of all others, it is that which we possess with the 
least consciousness. A man in an asthma is the only man 
who knows how to estimate it." 

The Heart and Blood-vessels. — The heart is a hollow 
muscular organ, of a conical shape, and consists of four dis- 
tinct cavities. The two largest are called ventricles, and the 
two smallest, auricles. The ventricles send out the blood to 
the arteries ; the auricles receive it from the veins. The heart 
is enclosed in the pericardium, a membranous bag, which con- 
tains a quantity of water, or lymph. This water lubricates 
the heart, and facilitates all its motions. The heart is the 
general reservoir of the blood. When the heart contracts, the 
blood is propelled from the right ventricle into the lungs, 
through the pulmonary arteries, which, like all the other arte- 
ries, are furnished with valves that play easily forward, but ad- 
mit not the blood to return toward the heart. The blood, 
after circulating through the lungs, and having there been re- 
vivified by coming in contact with the air, and imbibing a por- 
tion of its oxygen, returns into the left auricle of the heart, by 
the pulmonary vein. At the same instant, the left ventricle 
drives the blood into the aorta, a large artery which sends off 
branches to supply the head and arms. Another large branch 
of the aorta descends along the inside of the back-bone, and 
detaches numerous ramifications to nourish the bowels, and 
inferior extremities. After serving the most remote extremi- 
ties of the body, the arteries are converted into veins, which, 
in their return to the heart, gradually unite into larger branches, 
till the whole terminate in one great trunk, called the vena 
cava, which discharges itself into the right auricle of the 
heart, and completes the circulation. Each ventricle of the 
heart is reckoned to contain about one ounce, or two table- 
spoonsfull of blood. The heart contracts 4000 times every 
hour ; and, consequently, there passes through it 250 pounds 
of blood in one hour. And if the mass of biood in a human 
body be reckoned at an average of twenty-five pounds, it will 
follow that the whole mass of blood passes through the heart, 
and, consequently, through the thousands of ramifications of 
the veins and arteries fourteen times every hour, or, about once 
every four minutes. We may acquire a rude idea of the force 
with which the blood is impelled from the heart, by consider- 
ing the velocity with which water issues from a syringe, or 
from the pipe of a fire-engine. Could we behold these rapid 



236 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

motions incessantly going on within us, it would overpower 
our minds with astonishment, and even with terror. We 
should be apt to feel alarmed on making the smallest exertion, 
lest the parts of this delicate machine should be broken or 
deranged, and its functions interrupted. The arteries, into 
which the blood is forced, branch in every direction through 
the body, like the roots and branches of a tree ; running 
through the substance of the bones, and every part of the 
animal frame, till they are lost in such fine tubes as to be 
wholly invisible. In the parts where the arteries are lost to 
the sight, the veins take their rise ; and in their commence- 
ment, are also imperceptible. 

Respiration. — The organs of respiration are the lungs. 
They are divided into five lobes ; three of which lie on the 
right, and two on the left side of the thorax. The sub- 
stance of the lungs is chiefly composed of infinite ramifica- 
tions of the thrachea, or windpipe, which, after gradually be- 
coming more and more minute, terminate in little cells, or 
vesicles, which have a free communication with one another. 
At each inspiration, these pipes and cells are filled with air, 
which is again discharged by expiration. In this manner, a 
circulation of air, which is necessary to the existence of men 
and other animals, is constantly kept up as long as life re- 
mains. The air cells of the lungs open into the windpipe, 
by which they communicate with the external atmosphere. 
The whole internal structure of the lungs is lined by a transpa- 
rent membrane, estimated at only the thousandth part of an 
inch in thickness ; but whose surface, from its various con- 
volutions, measures fifteen square feet, which is equal to the 
external surface of the boaj . On this thin and extensive 
membrane, innumerable veins and arteries are distributed, 
some of them finer than hairs ; and through these vessels all 
the blood of the system is successively propelled, by a most 
curious and admirable mechanism. It has been computed, 
that the lungs, on an average, contain about 280 cubic inches, 
or about five English quarts of air. At each inspiration, about 
forty cubic inches of air are received irto the lungs, and the 
same quantity discharged at each expiration. On the suppo- 
sition, that 20 respirations take place in a minute, it will fol- 
low, that, in one minute, we inhale 800 cubic inches ; in an 
hour 48,000 ; and in a day, one million, one hundred and fifty- 
two thousand cubic inches — a quantity which would fill se- 
venty-seven wine hogsheads, and would weigh fifty-three 
pounds troy. By means of this function, a vast body of air ia 
daily brought into contact with the mass of blood, and com- 



ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 237 

municates to it its vivifying influence ; and, therefore, it is of 
the utmost importance to health, that the air, of which we 
breathe so considerable a quantity, should be pure, and uncon- 
taminated with noxious effluvia. 

Digestion. — Thisprocess is performed by the stomach, 
which is a membranous and muscular bag, furnished with two 
orifices. By the one, it has a communication with the gullet, 
and by the other, with the bowels. The food, after being 
moistened by the saliva, is received into the stomach, where 
it is still farther diluted by the gastric juice, which has the 
power of dissolving every kind of animal and vegetable sub- 
stance. Part of it is afterwards absorbed by the lymphatic 
and lacteal vessels, and carried into the circulating system, 
and converted into blood for supplying that nourishment which 
the perpetual waste of our bodies demands. 

Perspiration is the evacuation of the juices of the body 
through the pores of the skin. It has been calculated that 
there are above three hundred thousand millions of pores in the 
glands of the skin which covers the body of a middle sized 
man. Through these pores, more than one-half of what we 
eat and drink passes off by insensible perspiration. If we con- 
sume eight pounds of food in a day, five pounds of it are in- 
sensibly discharged by perspiration. During a night of seven 
hours* sleep, we perspire about forty ounces, or two pounds 
and a half. At an average, we may estimate the discharge 
from the surface of the body, by sensible and insensible per- 
spiration, at from half an ounce to four ounces an hour. This 
is a most wonderful part of the animal economy, and is abso- 
lutely necessary to our health, and even to our very existence. 
When partially obstructed, colds, rheumatisms, fevers, and 
other inflammatory disorders, are produced ; and were it com- 
pletely obstructed, the vital functions would be clogged and 
impeded in their movements, and death would inevitably 
ensue. 

Sensation, — The nerves are generally considered as the 
instruments of sensation. They are soft white cords which 
proceed from the brain and spinal marrow. They come forth 
originally by pairs. Ten pair proceed from the medullary 
substance of the brain, which are distributed to all parts of the 
head and neck. Thirty pair proceed from the spinal marrow, 
through the vetebrse, to all the other parts of the body ; being 
forty in all. These nerves, the ramifications of which are in- 
finitely various and minute, are distributed upon the heart, 
lungs, blood-vessels, bowels, and muscles, till they terminate 
on the skin or external covering of the body. Impressions of 

20* 



238 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

external objects are received by the brain from the adjacent 
organs of sense, and the brain exercises its commands over 
the muscles and limbs by means of the nerves. 

Without prosecuting these imperfect descriptions farther, I 
shall conclude this very hasty sketch with the following sum- 
mary of the parts of the body, in the words of Bonnet. — " The 
bones, by their joints and solidity, form the foundation of this 
fine machine : the ligaments are strings which unite the parts 
together : the muscles are fleshy substances, which act as 
elastic springs to put them in motion : the nerves, which are 
dispersed over the whole body, connect all the parts together : 
the arteries and veins, like rivulets, convey life and health 
throughout : the heart, placed in the centre, is the focus where 
the blood collects, or the acting power by means of which it 
circulates and is preserved : the lungs, by means of another 
power, draw in the external air, and expel hurtful vapors : the 
stomach and intestines are the magazines where every thing 
that is required for the daily supply is prepared : the brain, 
that seat of the soul, is formed in a manner suitable to the 
dignity of its inhabitant : the senses, which are the soul's mi- 
nisters, warn it of all that is necessary either for its pleasure 
or use.* Adorable Creator ! with what wonderful art hast 
thou formed us ! Though the heavens did not exist to pro- 
claim thy glory ; though there were no created being upon 
earth but myself, my own body might suffice to convince me 
that thou art a God of unlimited power and infinite goodness." 
. This subject suggests a variety of moral and religious re- 
flections, but the limits to which I am confined, will permit 
me to state only the following : — 

1. The economy of the human frame, when seriously con- 
templated, has a tendency to excite admiration and astonish- 
ment, and to impress us with a sense of our continual depend- 
ence on a Superior Power. What an immense multiplicity of 
machinery must be in action to enable us to breathe, to feel, 
and to walk ! Hundreds of bones of diversified forms, con- 
nected together by various modes of articulation ; hundreds 
of muscles to produce motion, each of them acting in at least 
ten different capacities ; (see p. 83.) hundreds of tendons and 
ligaments to connect the bones and muscles ; hundreds of 
arteries to convey the blood to the remotest part of the sys- 
tem : hundreds of veins to bring it back to its reservoir the 
heart ; thousands of glands secreting humors of various kinds 
from the blood ; thousands of lacteal and lymphatic tubes, 

* Contemplation of Nature, vol. I. p. 64. 



' ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 239 

absorbing and conveying nutriment to the circulating fluid ; 
millions of pores, through which the perspiration is continu- 
ally issuing ; an infinity of ramifications of nerves, diffusing 
sensation throughout all" the parts of this exquisite machine ; 
and the heart at every pulsation exerting a force of a hundred 
thousand pounds, in order to preserve all this complicated 
machinery in constant operation ! The whole of this vast 
system of mechanism must be in action before we can walk 
across our apartments ! We admire the operation of a steam- 
engine, and the force it exerts. But, though it is constructed 
of the hardest materials which the mines can supply, in a few 
months some of its essential parts are worn and deranged, 
even although its action should be frequently discontinued. 
But the animal machine, though constructed, for the most part, 
of the softest and most flabby substances, can go on without 
intermission in all its diversified movements, by night and by 
day, for the space of eighty or a hundred years ; the heart 
giving ninety-six thousand strokes every twenty-four hours, 
and the whole mass of blood rushing through a thousand pipes 
of all sizes every four minutes ! And, is it man that governs 
these nice and complicated movements 1 Did he set the heart 
in motion, or endue it with the muscular force it exerts 1 And 
when it has ceased to beat, can he command it again to resume 
its functions 1 Man knows neither the secret springs of the 
machinery within him, nor the half of the purposes for which 
they serve, or of the movements they perform. Can any thing 
more strikingly demonstrate our dependance every moment on 
a Superior Agent, and that it is " in God we live and move, 
and have our being 1" Were a single pin of the machinery 
within us, and over which we have no control, either broken 
or deranged, a thousand movements might instantly be inter- 
rupted, and our bodies left to crumble into the dust. 

It was considerations of this kind that led the celebrated 
physician Galen, who was a sceptic in his youth, publicly to 
acknowledge that a Supreme Intelligence must have operated 
in ordaining the laws by which living beings are constructed. 
And he wrote his excellent treatise " On the uses of the parts 
of the human frame," as a solemn hymn to the Creator of the 
world. " I first endeavor from His works," he says, " to know 
him myself, and afterwards, by the same means, to show him to 
others ; to inform them, how great is his wisdom, his good- 
ness, his power." The late Dr. Hunter has observed, that 
Astronomy and Anatomy are the studies which present us with 
the most striking view of the two most wonderful attributes of 
the Supreme Being. The first of these fills the mind with the 



240 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

idea of his immensity in the largeness, distances, and number 
of the heavenly bodies ; the last astonishes us with his intel- 
ligence and art in the variety and delicacy of animal me- 
chanism. 

2. The study of the animal economy has a powerful ten- 
dency to excite emotions of gratitude. Man is naturally a 
thoughtless and ungrateful creature. These dispositions are 
partly owing to ignorance of the wonders of the human frame, 
and of the admirable economy of the visible world ; and this 
ignorance is owing to the want of those specific instructions 
which ought to be communicated by parents and teachers, in 
connexion with religion. For, there is no rational being who 
is acquainted with the structure of his animal system, and re- 
flects upon it with the least degree of attention, but must feel 
a sentiment of admiration and gratitude. The science which 
unfolds to us the economy of our bodies, shows us, on what 
an infinity of springs, and motions, and adaptations, our life 
and comfort depend. And when we consider, that all these 
movements are performed without the least care or laborious 
effort on our part, if we be not altogether brutish, and insen- 
sible of our dependance on a superior Power, we must be 
filled with emotions of gratitude towards Him " whose hands 
have made and fashioned us, and who giveth us life, and 
breath, and all things." Some of the motions to which I have 
adverted, depend upon our will ; and with what celerity do 
they obey its commands ? Before we can rise from our chair, 
and walk across our apartment, a hundred muscles must be 
set in motion ; every one of these must be relaxed or con- 
stricted, just to a certain degree, and no more ; and all must 
act harmoniously at the same instant of time ; and, at the 
command of the soul, all these movements are instantaneously 
performed. When I wish to lift my hand to my head, every 
part of the body requisite to produce the effect is put in mo- 
tion : the nerves are braced, the muscles are stretched or re- 
laxed, the bones play in their sockets, and the whole animal 
machine concurs in the action, as if every nerve and muscle 
had heard a sovereign and resistless call. When I wish the 
next moment to extend my hand to my foot, all these muscles 
are thrown into a different state, and a new set are brought 
along with them into action : and thus we may vary, every 
moment, the movements of the muscular system, and the 
mechanical actions it produces, by a simple change in our 
volition. Were we not daily accustomed to such varied and 
voluntary movements, or could we contemplate them in any 
other machine, we should be lost in wonder and astonishment 



HISTORY. 241 

Besides these voluntary motions, there are a thousand im- 
portant functions which have no dependance upon our will. 
Whether we think of it or not, whether we be sleeping or 
waking, sitting or walking — the heart is incessantly exerting 
its muscular power at the centre of the system, and sending 
off streams of blood through hundreds of pipes ; the lungs are 
continually expanding and contracting their thousand vesicles, 
and imbibing the vital principle of the air ; the stomach is 
grinding the food ; the lacteals and lymphatics are extracting 
nourishment for the blood ; the liver and kidneys drawing off 
their secretions ; and the perspiration issuing from millions 
of pores. These, and many other important functions with 
which we are unacquainted, and over which we have no con- 
trol, ought to be regarded as the immediate agency of the 
Deity within us, and should excite our incessant admiration 
and praise. 

There is one peculiarity in the constitution of our anima, 
system, which we are apt to overlook, and for which we are 
never sufficiently grateful ; and that is, the poiver it possesses 
of self-restoration. A wound heals up of itself: a broken 
bone is made firm again by a callus ; and a dead part is sepa- 
rated and thrown off. If all the wounds we have ever received 
were still open and bleeding afresh, to what a miserable con- 
dition should we be reduced 1 But by a system of internal 
powers, beyond all human comprehension, as to the mode of 
their operation, such dismal effects are effectually prevented. 
In short, when we consider, that health depends upon such a 
numerous assemblage of moving organs, and, that a single 
spring out of action, might derange the whole machine, and 
put a stop to all its complicated movements, can we refrain 
from joining with the Psalmist, in his pious exclamation, and 
grateful resolution, " How precious are thy wonderful contri- 
vances concerning me, O God ! how great is the sum of 
them ! I will praise thee ; for I am fearfully and wonderfully 
made. Marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth 
right well." 

Omitting the consideration of several other departments of 
science, I shall in the meantime, notice only another subject 
connected with religion, and that is History. 

HISTORY. 

History embraces a record and description of past facts and 
events, in reference to all the nations and ages of the world, 
\n so far as they are known, and have been transmitted to our 
time. As Natural History contains a record of the operations 



242 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, 



of the Creator in the material world, so, sacred and civil his- 
tory embraces a record of his transactions in the moral and 
intellectual world, or, in other words, a detail of the plans and 
operations of His Providence, in relation to the inhabitants of 
our globe. Through the medium of Sacred History, we learn 
the period and the manner of man's creation — the reason of 
his fall from the primitive state of integrity in which he was 
created, and the dismal consequences which ensued ; — the 
various movements of Providence in order to his recovery, 
and the means by which human Redemption was achieved ; — 
the manner in which the Gospel was at first promulgated, the 
countries into which it was carried, and the important effects 
it produced. Through the medium of Civil History we learn 
the deep and universal depravity of mankind, as exhibited in 
the wars, dissensions, and ravages, which have desolated our 
fallen race, in every period, and in every land ; — we learn the 
desperate wickedness of the human heart, in the more private 
acts of ferocity, cruelty, and injustice, which, in all ages, men 
have perpetrated upon each other ; — we behold the Righteous- 
ness of the Supreme Ruler of the world, and the equity of his 
administration, in the judgments which have been inflicted on 
wicked nations — and the improbability, nay, the impossibility 
of men being ever restored to moral order and happiness, 
without a more extensive diffusion of the blessings of the 
Gospel of Peace, and a more cordial acquiescence in the 
requirements of the Divine laws. 

Such being some of the benefits to be derived from History, 
it requires no additional arguments to show, that this branch 
of knowledge should occasionally form a subject of study to 
every intelligent Christian. But in order to render the study 
of History subservient to the interests of Religion, it is not 
enough merely to gratify our curiosity and imagination, by 
following out a succession of memorable events, by tracing 
the progress of armies and of battles, and listening to the 
groans of the vanquished, and the shouts of conquerors. 
This would be to study History merely as sceptics, as Athe- 
ists, or as writers of novels. When we contemplate the 
facts which the Historian presents to our view, we ought to 
raise our eyes to Him who is the Governor among the nations, 
" who doth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and 
among the inhabitants of the earth," and who overrules the 
jarring interests of mortals, for promoting the prosperity of 
that Kingdom which shall never be moved. We should view 
the immoral propensities and dispositions of mankind as por- 
trayed in the page of history, as evidences of the depravity of 



HISTORY. 243 

our species, and as excitements to propagate, with unremitting 
energy, the knowledge of that Religion, whose sublime doc- 
trines and pure precepts alone can counteract the stream of 
human corruption, and unite all nations in one harmonious 
society. We should view the contests of nations, and the 
results with which they are accompanied, as guided by that 
Invisible Hand, which " mustereth the armies to the battle ;" 
and should contemplate them either as the accomplishment of 
Divine predictions, as the inflictions of retributive justice, as 
paving the way for the introduction of rational liberty and 
social happiness among men, or as ushering in that glorious 
period, when " the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the 
earth", and the nations shall learn war no more. 



Thus I have taken a very cursory survey of some of those 
sciences which stand in a near relation to the objects of Reli- 
gion ; and which may, indeed, be considered as forming so 
many of its subordinate branches. There are many other 
departments of knowledge which, at first view, do not seem to 
have any relation to Theological science ; and yet, on a closer 
inspection, will be found to be essentially connected with the 
several subjects of which I have been treating. For example 
—some may be apt to imagine that Arithmetic, Geometry, 
Trigonometry, and other branches of Mathematics, can have 
no relation to the leading objects of Religion. But if these 
sciences had never been cultivated, the most important disco- 
veries of astronomy, geography, natural philosophy, and che- 
mistry, would never have been made ; ships could not have 
been navigated across the ocean ; distant continents, and the 
numerous "isles of the sea," would have remained unexplored, 
and their inhabitants left to grope in the darkness of heathen- 
ism ; and most of those instruments and engines by which the 
condition of the human race will be gradually meliorated, and 
the influence of Christianity extended, would never have been 
invented. Such is the dependance of every branch of useful 
knowledge upon another, that were any one portion of science, 
which has a practical tendency, to be discarded, it would 
prevent, to a certain degree, the improvement of every other. 
And, consequently, if any one science can be shown to have 
a connexion with religion, all the rest must likewise stand in a 
certain relation to it. It must, therefore, have a pernicious 
effect on the minds of the mass of the Christian world, when 
preachers, in their sermons, endeavor to undervalue scientific 



244 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

knowledge, by attempting to contrast it with the doctrines of 
Revelation. It would be just as reasonable to attempt to con- 
trast the several doctrines, duties, and facts, recorded in the 
New Testament with each other, in order to determine their 
relative importance, and to show which of them might be 
altogether overlooked and discarded. The series of facts and 
of Divine revelations comprised in the Bible ; the moral and 
political events which diversify the history of nations ; and the 
physical operations that are going on among the rolling worlds 
on high, and in the chemical changes of the invisible atoms 
of matter, are all parts of one comprehensive system, undei 
the direction of the Eternal Mind ; every portion of which 
must have a certain relation to the whole. 

And, therefore, instead of attempting to degrade one part 
of the Divine fabric in order to enhance another, our duty is 
to take an expansive view of the whole, and to consider the 
symmetry and proportion of its parts, and their mutual bear- 
ings and relations — in so far as our opportunities, and the 
limited faculties of our minds will permit. 

If the remarks which have been thrown out in this chapter, 
respecting the connexion of the Sciences with Religion, have 
any foundation, it will follow — that Sermons, Lectures, Sys- 
tems of Divinity, and Religious Periodical works, should em* 
brace occasional illustrations of such subjects, for the purpose 
of expanding the conceptions of professed Christians, and of 
enabling them to take large and comprehensive views of the 
perfections of the providence of the Almighty. It is much 
to be regretted, that so many members of the Christian Church 
are absolute strangers to such studies and contemplations ; 
while the time and attention that might have been devoted to 
such exercises, have, in many cases, been usurped by the most 
grovelling affections, by foolish pursuits, by gossiping chit- 
chat, and slanderous conversation. Shall the most trifling and 
absurd opinions of ancient and modern heretics be judged 
worthy of attention, and occupy a place in Religious journals, 
and even in discussions from the pulpit, and shall " the mighty 
acts of the Lord," and the visible wonders of his power and 
wisdom, be thrown completely into the shade ? To survey, 
with an eye of intelligence, the wide-extended theatre of the 
Divine operations — to mark the agency of the Eternal Mind 
in every object we behold, and in every movement within us 
and around us, are some of the noblest attainments of the 
rational soul ; and, in conjunction with every other Christian 
study and acquirement, are calculated to make " the man of 
God perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto every good work." 



HISTORY. 245 

By such studies, we are, in some measure, assimilated to the 
angelic tribes, whose powers of intellect are for ever employed 
in such investigations — and are gradually prepared for bearing 
a part in their immortal hymn — " Great and marvellous are 
thy works, Lord God Almighty ; just and true are thy ways, 
thou King of Saints. Thou art worthy to receive glory, and 
honor, and power ; for thou hast created all things, and for 
thy pleasure they are and were created." 



n 



CHAPTER III. 



THE RELATION WHICH THE INVENTIONS OF HUMAN 
ART BEAR TO THE OBJECTS OF RELIGION. 

In this chapter, I shall briefly notice a few philosophical 
and mechancical inventions which have an obvious bearing 
on Religion, and on the general propagation of Christianity 
among the nations. 

The first, and perhaps the most important of the inven- 
tions to which I allude, is the Art of Printing. This art 
appears to have been invented (at least in Europe) about the 
year 1430, by one Laurentius, or Lawrence Koster, a native 
of Haerlem, a town in Holland. As he was walking in a 
wood near the city, he began to cut some letters upon the rind 
of a beach tree, which, for the sake of gratifying his fancy, 
being impressed on paper, he printed one or two lines as a 
specimen for his grandchildren to follow. This having suc- 
ceeded, he meditated greater things ; and first of all, invented 
a more glutinous writing ink ; because he found the common 
ink sunk and spread ; and thus formed whole pages of wood, 
with letters cut upon them.* By the gradual improvement of 

* I am aware, that the honor of this invention has been claimed by other 
cities besides Haerlem, particularly by Strasburg, and Mentz, a city of Ger- 
many ; and by other individuals besides Laurentius, chiefly by one Fust, 
commonly called Dr. Faustus ; by Schoeffer, and by Gutenberg. It appears . 
that the art, with many of its implements, was stolen from Laurentius by 
one of his servants, whom he had bound, by an oath, to secrecy, who fled 
to Mentz, and first commenced the process of printing in that city. Here 
the art was improved by Fust and Schoeffer, by their invention of metallic, 
instead ofiooode?i types, which were first used. When Fust was in Paris, 
disposing of some Bibles he had printed, at the low price (as was then 
thought) of sixty crowns, the number, and the uniformity of the copies he 
possessed, created universal agitation and astonishment. Informations 
were given to the Police against him as a magLian, his lodgings were 
searched, and a great number of copies being found, they were seized; the 
red ink witl* ^rhich they were embellished, was said to be his blood , it 



ART OF PRINTING. 247 

this art, and its application to the diffusion of knowledge, a 
new era was formed in the annals of the human race, and in 
the progress of science, religion, and morals. To it we are 
chiefly indebted for our deliverance from ignorance and error, 
and for most of those scientific discoveries and improvements 
in the arts- which distinguish the period in which we live. — 
Without its aid, the Reformation from Popery could scarcely 
have been achieved ; for, had the books of Luther, one of the 
first reformers, been multiplied by the slow process of hand- 
writing and copying, they could never have been diffused to 
any extent ; and the influence of bribery and of power might 
have been sufficient to have arrested their progress, or even to 
have erased their existence. But, being poured forth from the 
press in thousands at a time, they spread over the nations of 
Europe like an inundation, and with a rapidity which neither 
the authority of princes, nor the schemes of priests and car- 
dinals, nor the bulls of popes, could counteract or suspend. — 
To this noble invention it is owing that copies of the Bible 
have been multiplied to the extent of many millions — that ten 
thousands of them are to be found in every Protestant country 
— and that the poorest individual who expresses a desire for it, . 

was seriously adjudged, that he was in league with the Devil ; and if he 
had not fled from the city, most probably he would have shared the fate of 
those whom ignorant and superstitious judges, at that time, condemned for 
witchcraft. From this circumstance, let us learn to beware how we view 
the inventions of genius, and how we treat those whose ingenious contri- 
vances may afterwards be the means of enlightening and meliorating man- 
kind, See Appendix. No. VII. 

Various improvements have been made, of late years, in the art of print ■« 
ing. That which has lately been announced by Dr. Church of Boston, is 
the most remarkable ; and, if found successful, will carry this art to a high 
degree of perfection. A principal object of this improvement is, to print 
constantly from new types, which is effected by simplifying the process for 
casting and composing. The type is delivered perfect by machinery, and laid 
as it is cast, in separate compartments, with unerring order and exactness. 
The composition is then effected by other apparatus, directed by keys like 
those of a piano-forte, and the type may then be arranged in words and 
lines, as quickly as in the performance of notes in music. No error can 
arise except from touching the wrong key ; and hence an expert hand will 
leave little labor for the reader. It is then found less expensive under Dr. 
Church's economical system of re-casting, to re-melt the types, and re-cast 
them, than to perform "the tedious operation of distribution. The melting 
takes place without atmospheric exposure, by which oxydation and waste 
of metal are avoided. It is calculated that two men can produce 75,000 
new types per hour, and in re-composing, one man will perform as much 
as three or four compositors. In the production of types, the saving is 
ninety-nine parts in a hundred ; and in the composition, distribution, and 
reading, is three narts in four. In regard to press- work, Dr. C. has inven- 
ted a machine to work with plattens, instead of cylinders, from which ha 
will be enabjed to take 30 fine impressions per minute. 



248 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

may be furnished with the " Word of Life" which will guide 
him to a blessed immortality. That Divine light which is des- 
tined to illuminate every region of the globe, and to sanctify 
and reform men of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, is 
accelerated in its movements, and directed in its course through 
the nations, by the invention of the Art of Printing ; and ere 
long, it will distribute among the inhabitants of every land, the 
" Law and the Testimony of the Most High," to guide their 
steps to the regions of eternal bliss. In short, there is not a 
more powerful engine in the hands of Providence^ for diffu- 
sing the knowledge of the nature and the will of the Deity, 
and for accomplishing the grand objects of Revelation, than 
the art of multiplying books, and of conveying intelligence 
through the medium of the Press. Were no such art in exis- 
tence, we cannot conceive how an extensive and universal 
propagation of the doctrines of Revelation could be effected, 
unless after the lapse of an indefinite number of ages. But, 
with the assistance of this invention, in its present improved 
state, the island of Great Britain alone, within less than a 
hundred years, could furnish a copy of the Scriptures to every 
inhabitant of the world, and would defray the expense of such 
an undertaking, with much more ease, and with a smaller sum, 
than were necessary to furnish the political warfare in which 
we were lately engaged. 

These considerations teach us, that the ingenious inventions 
of the human mind are under the direction and control of the 
Governor of the world — are intimately connected with the ac- 
complishment of the plan of his providence, and have a ten- 
dency, either directly or indirectly, to promote, over every 
region of the earth, the progress and extension of the kingdom 
of the Redeemer. They also show us, from what small be- 
ginnings the most magnificent operations of the Divine econo- 
my may derive their origin. Who could have imagined that 
the simple circumstance of a person amusing himself by cut- 
ting a few letters on the bark of a tree, and impressing them 
on paper, was intimately connected with the mental illumina- 
tion of mankind ; and that the art which sprung from this 
casual process was destined to be the principal means of illu- 
minating the nations, and of conveying to the ends of the 
earth, " the salvation of our God ?" But, " He who rules in 
the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth," 
and who sees " the end from the beginning," overrules the 
most minute movement of all his creatures, in subserviency 
to his ultimate designs, and shows himself, in this respect, to 
be " wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." 



THE MARINER'S COMPASS. 249 

The Mariner's Compass. — Another invention which has 
an intimate relation to religion, is, the Art of Navigation, and 
the invention of the Mariner's Compass. Navigation is the 
art of conducting a ship through the sea, from one port to 
another. This art was partly known and practised in the early- 
ages of antiquity, by the Phenicians, the Carthaginians, the 
Egyptians, the Romans, and other nations of Europe and Asia. 
But they had no guide to direct them in their voyages, except 
the sun in the day time, and the stars by night. When the sky 
was overcast with clouds, they were thrown into alarms, and 
durst not venture to any great distance from the coast, lest they 
should be carried forward in a course opposite to that which 
they intended, or be driven against hidden rocks, or unknown 
shores. The danger and difficulty of the navigation of the 
ancients, on this account, may be learned from the delibera- 
tions, the great preparations, and the alarms of Homer's heroes, 
when they were about to cross the Egean Sea, an extent of 
not more than 150 miles ; and the expedition of the Argonauts 
under Jason, across the sea of Marmora and the Euxine, to 
the island of Colchis, a distance of only four or five hundred 
miles, was viewed at a most wonderful exploit at which even 
the gods themselves were said to be amazed. The same 
thing appears from the narration we have in the Acts of the 
Apostles, of Paul's voyage from Cisarea to Rome. "When," 
says Luke, " neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, 
and no small tempests lay on us, all hope that we should be 
saved was then taken away." Being deprived of these guides, 
they were tossed about in the Mediterranean, not knowing 
w T hether they were carried to north, south, east, or west. So 
that the voyages of antiquity consisted chiefly in creeping along 
the coast, and seldom venturing beyond sight of land : they 
could not, therefore, extend their excursions by sea to distant 
continents and nations ; and hence, the greater portion of the 
terraqueous globe and its inhabitants were to them altogether 
unknown. It was not before the invention of the Mariner's 
Compass, that distant voyages could be undertaken, that ex- 
tensive oceans could be traversed, and an intercourse carried 
on between remote continents and the islands of the ocean. 

It is somewhat uncertain at what precise period this noble 
discovery was made ; but it appears pretty evident, that the 
Mariner's Compass was not commonly used in navigation be- 
fore the year 1420, or only a few years before the invention of 
Printing.* The loadstone, in all ages, was known to have the 

* The invention of the Compass is usually ascribed to Falvio Gioia, of 
Amain" , in Campania, about the year 1302 j and the Italians are strenuous 

21* 



250 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

property of attracting iron ; but its tendency to point towards 
the north and south seems to have been unnoticed till the 
beginning of the twelfth century. About that time some curi- 
ous persons seem to have amused themselves by making to 
swim, in a basin of water, a loadstone suspended on a piece 
of cork ; and to have remarked, that, when left at liberty, one 
of its extremities pointed to the north. They had also re- 
marked, that, when a piece of iron is rubbed against the load- 
stone, it acquires also the property of turning towards the north, 
and of attracting needles and filings of iron. From one expe- 
riment to another, they proceeded to lay a needle, touched 
with the magnet, on two small bits of straw floating on the 
water, and to observe that the needle invariably turned its 
point towards the north. The first use they seem to have 
made of these experiments, was, to impose upon simple 
people by the appearance of magic. For example, a hollow 
swan, or the figure of a mermaid, was made to swim in a basin 
of water, and to follow a knive with a bit of bread upon its 
point which had been previously rubbed on the loadstone. .The 
experimenter convinced them of his power, by commanding, 
in this way, a needle laid on the surface of the water, to turn 
its point from the north to the east, or in any other direction. 
But, some geniuses, of more sublime and reflective powers of 
mind, seizing upon these hints, at last applied these experi- 
ments to the wants of navigation, and constructed an instru- 
ment by the help of which the mariner can now direct his 
course to distant lands, through the vast and pathless ocean. 

In consequence of the discovery of this instrument, the 
coasts of almost every land on tfie surface of the globe have 
been explored, and a regular intercourse opened up between 
the remotest regions of the earth. Without the help of this 
noble invention, America, in all probability, would never have 
been discovered by the eastern nations — the vast continent of 
New-Holland — the numerous and interesting islands in the 
Indian and Pacilic oceans — the isles of Japan, and other im- 
mense territories inhabited by human beings, would have re- 
mained as much unknown and unexplored as if they had never 

in supporting this claim. Others affirm, that Marcus Paulus, a Venetian, 
having made a journey to China, brought back the invention with him in 
I2G0. The French also lay claim to the honor of this invention, from the 
circumstance, that all nations distinguish the North point of the card by a 
fleur de lis ; an 1 with equal reason, the English have laid claim to the same 
honor, from the name compass, by which most nations have agreed to dis- 
tinguish it. But whoever were the inventors, or at whatever period this 
instrument was first constructed, it does not appear that it was brought 
into general use, before the period mentioned in the text. 



THE MARINER'S COMPASS* 251 

existed. And as the nations of Europe, and the western parts 
of Asia, were the sole depositories of the records of Revela- 
tion, they could never have conveyed the blessings of salvation 
to remote countries, and to unknown tribes of mankind, of 
whose existence they were entirely ignorant. Even although 
the whole terraqueous globe had been sketched out before 
them, in all its aspects and bearings, and ramifications of 
islands, continents, seas, and oceans, and the moral and politi- 
cal state of every tribe of its inhabitants displayed to view ; — 
without a guide to direct their course through the billows of the 
ocean, they could have afforded no light and no relief to cheer 
the distant nations " who sit in darkness, and in the shadow 
of death." Though the art of Printing had been invented; 
though millions of Bibles were now prepared, adequate to the 
supply of all the " kindreds of the heathen ;" though ships 
in abundance were equipped for the enterprise, and thousands 
of missionaries ready to embark, and to devote their lives to 
the instruction of the Pagan world — all would be of no avail, 
and the " salvation of God" could never be proclaimed to the 
ends of the world, unless they had a Mariner's Compass to 
guide their course through the trackless ocean. 

In this invention, then, we behold a proof of the agency of 
Divine Providence, in directing the efforts of human genius to 
subserve the most important designs, and contemplate a strik- 
ing specimen of the " manifold wisdom of God." When the 
pious and contemplative Israelite reflected on the declaration 
of the prophets, that " the glory of Jehovah would be reveal- 
ed, and that all flesh would see it together ;" — from the state 
of the arts which then existed, he must have felt many difficul- 
ties in forming a conception of the manner in which such pre- 
dictions could be realized. — " The great and wide sea," now 
termed the Mediterranean, formed the boundary of his view, 
beyond which he was unable to penetrate. Of the continents, 
and " the isles afar off," and of the far more spacious oceans 
that lay between, he had no knowledge ; and how " the ends 
of the earth" were to be reached, he could form no concep- 
tion ; and, in the midst of his perplexing thoughts, he could 
find no satisfaction only in the firm belief, that " with God all 
things are possible." But now we are enabled not only to 
contemplate the grand designs of the Divine economy, but the 
principal means by which they shall all, in due time, be accom- 
plished, in consequence of the progress of science and art, and 
of their consecration to the rearing and extension of the Chris- 
tian church. 

The two inventions to which I have now adverted, may 



252 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

perhaps, be considered as among the most striking instances 
of the connection of human art with the objects of Religion, 
But there are many other inventions which, at first view, do 
not appear to bear so near a relation to the progress of Christi- 
anity, and yet have an ultimate reference to some of its grand 
and interesting objects. 

The Telescope. — We might be apt to think, on a slight 
view of the matter, that there can be no immediate relation be- 
tween the grinding and polishing of an optic glass, and fitting 
two or more of them in a tube, and — the enlargement of our 
views of the operation of the Eternal Mind. Yet the connec- 
tion between these two objects, and the dependance of the 
latter upon the former, can be fairly demonstrated. — The son 
of a spectacle-maker of Middleburg in Holland, happening to 
amuse himself in his father's shop, by holding two glasses be- 
tween his finger and his thumb, and varying their distance, 
perceived the weather-cock of the church spire opposite to 
him, much larger than ordinary, and apparently much nearer, 
and turned upside down. This new wonder exercised the 
amazement of the father ; he adjusted two glasses on a board, 
rendering them moveable at pleasure ; and thus formed the 
first rude imitation of a perspective glass, by which distant ob- 
jects are brought near to view. Galileo, a philosopher of Tus- 
cany, hearing of the invention, set his mind to work, in order 
to bring it to perfection. He fixed his glasses at the end of 
long organ-pipes, and constructed a telescope, which he soon 
directed to different parts of the surrounding heavens. He 
discovered four moons revolving around the planet Jupiter — 
spots on the surface of the Sun, and the rotation of that globe 
around its axis — mountains and valleys in the moon — and 
numbers of fixed stars where scarcely one was visible to the 
naked eye. These discoveries were made about the year 
1610, a short time after the first invention of the telescope. 
Since that period this instrument has passed through various 
degrees of improvement, and, by means of it, celestial won- 
ders have been explored in the distant spaces of the universe, 
which, in former times, were altogether concealed from mortal 
view. By the help of telescopes, combined with the art of 
measuring the distances and magnitudes of the heavenly bo- 
dies, our views of the Grandeur of the Almighty, of the pleni- 
tude of his Power and of the extent of his universal Empire, 
are extended far beyond what could have been conceived in 
former ages. Our prospects of the range of the Divine oper- 
ations are no longer confined within the limits of the world we 
nhabit ; — we can now plainly perceive, that the kingdom of 



THE TELESCOPE. 253 

God is not only " an everlasting dominion," but that it ex- 
tends through the unlimited regions of space, comprehending 
within its vast circumference thousands of suns, and ten thou- 
sands of worlds, all ranged in majestic order, at immense dis- 
tances from one another, and all supported and governed " by 
Him who rides on the Heaven of Heavens," whose greatness 
is unsearchable, and whose understanding is infinite. 

The telescope has also demonstrated to us the literal truth 
of those scriptural declarations which assert that the stars are 
M innumerable.' 7 Before the invention of this instrument, not 
more than about a thousand stars could be perceived by the 
unassisted eye in the clearest night. But this invention has 
unfolded to view not only thousands, but hundreds of thous- 
ands, and millions of those bright luminaries, which lie dis- 
persed in every direction throughout the boundless dimensions 
of space. And, the higher the magnifying powers of the teles- 
cope are, the more numerous those celestial orbs appear ; 
leaving us no room to doubt, that countless myriads more lie 
hid in the distant regions of creation, far beyond the reach of 
the finest glasses that can be constructed by human skill, and 
which are known only to Him " who counts the number of the 
stars, and calls them by their names." 

In short, the telescope may be considered as serving the 
purpose of a vehicle for conveying us to the distant regions ot 
space. We would consider it as a wonderful achievement, 
could we transport ourselves two hundred thousand miles from 
the earth, in the direction of the Moon, in order to take a 
nearer view of that celestial orb. But this instrument enables 
us to take a much nearer inspection of that planet, than if we 
had actually surmounted the force of gravitation, traversed the 
voids of space, and left the earth 230,000 miles behind us. 
For, supposing such a journey to be accomplished, we should 
still be ten thousand miles distant from the orb. But a teles- 
cope which magnifies objects 240 times, can. carry our views 
within one thousand miles of the moon ; and a telescope, such 
as Dr. Herschel's 40 feet reflector, which magnifies 6000 times, 
would enable us to view the mountains and vales of the moon, 
as if we were transported to a point about 40 miles from her 
surface.* We can view the magnificent system of the planet 

* Though the highest magnifying power of Dr. Herschel's large telescope 
was estimated at six thousand times, yet it does not appear that the Doctor 
ever applied this power with success, when viewing the moon and the 
planets. The deficiency of light, when using so high a power, would ren- 
der the view of these objects less satisfactory than when viewed with a 
power of one or two thousand times. Still, it is quite certain, that if any 



254 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Saturn, by means of this instrument as distinctly, as if we had 
performed a journey eight hundred millions of miles in the 
direction of that globe, which, at the rate of 50 miles an hour, 
would require a period of more than eighteen hundred years to 
accomplish. By the telescope, we can contemplate the re- 
gion of the fixed stars, their arrangement into systems, and 
their immense numbers, with the same distinctness and am- 
plitude of view, as if we had actually taken a flight often hun- 
dred thousand millions of miles into those unexplored and un- 
explorable regions, which could not be accomplished in seve- 
ral millions of years, though our motion were as rapid as a ball 
projected from a loaded cannon. We would justly consider it 
as a noble endowment for enabling us to take an extensive 
survey of the works of God, if we had the faculty of trans- 
porting ourselves to such immense distances from the sphere 
we now occupy ; but, by means of the telescopic tube, we may 
take nearly the same ample views, of the dominions of the 
Creator, without stirring a foot from the limits of our terres- 
trial abode. This instrument may, therefore, be considered 
as a providential gift, bestowed upon mankind, to serve, in the 
mean time, as a temporary substitute for those powers of rapid 
night with which the seraphim are endowed, and for those su- 
perior faculties of motion with which man himself may be in- 
vested, when he arrives at the summit of moral perfection.* 

The Microscope. — The Microscope is another instrument 
constructed on similar principles, which has greatly expanded 
our views of the " manifold wisdom of God." This instru- 
ment, which discovers to us small objects, invisible to the 
naked eye, was invented soon after the invention and improve- 
ment of the telescope. By means of this optical contrivance, 
we perceive a variety of wonders in almost every object in the 
animal, the vegetable, and the mineral kingdoms. We per- 
ceive that every particle of matter, however minute, has a 

portions of the moon's surface were viewed through an instrument of such 
a power, they would appear as large (but not nearly so bright and distinct) 
as if we were placed about 40 miles distant from that body. The. enlarge- 
ment of the angle of vision, in this case, or, the apparent distance at which 
the moon would be contemplated, is found by dividing the moon's dis- 
tance — 240,000 miles by 6000, the magnifying power of the telescope, 
which produces a quotient of 40 — the number of miles at which the moon 
would appear to be placed from the eye of the observer. Dr. Herschel ap- 
pears to have used the highest power of his telescopes only, or chiefly, when 
viewing some very minute objects in the region of the stars. The powers 
he generally used, and with which he made most of his discoveries were, 
227, 460, 754, 932, and occasionally 2010, 3168, and 6450. when inspecting 
double and treble stars, and the more distant nebulax 
* See Appendix, No. VIII. 



THE TELESCOPE. 255 

determinate form — that the very scales of the skin of a haddock 
are all beautifully interwoven and variegated, like pieces of 
net-work, which no art can imitate — that the points of the 
prickles of vegetables, though magnified a thousand times, ap- 
pear as sharp and well polished as to the naked eye — that 
every particle of the dust on the butterfly's wing is a beautiful 
and regularly organized feather — that every hair of our head is 
a hollow tube, with bulbs and roots, furnished with a variety 
of threads or filaments — and that the pores in our skin, through 
which the sweat and perspiration flow, are so numerous and 
minute, that a grain of sand would cover a hundred and twen- 
ty-five thousand of them, We perceive animated beings in 
certain liquids, so small, that fifty thousand of them would not 
equal the size of a mite ; and yet each of these creatures is 
furnished with a mouth, eyes, stomach, blood-vessels, and 
other organs for the performance of animal functions. In a 
stagnant pool which is covered with a greenish scum during 
the summer months, every drop of the water is found to be a 
world teeming with thousands of inhabitants. The mouldy 
substance which usually adheres to damp bodies exhibits a 
forest of trees and plants, where the branches, leaves, and 
fruit, can be plainly distinguished. In a word, by this admira- 
ble instrument we behold the same Almighty Hand which 
rounded the spacious globe on which we live, and the huge 
masses of the planetary orbs, and directs them in their rapid 
motions through the sky, — -employed, at the same moment, in 
rounding and polishing ten thousand minute transparent globes 
in the eye of a fly ; and boring and arranging veins and arte- 
ries, and forming and clasping joints and claws, for the move- 
ments of a mite ! We thus learn the admirable and astonish- 
ing effects of the Wisdom of God, and that the Divine Care 
and Benevolence are as much displayed in the construction of 
the smallest insect, as in the elephant, or the whale, or in 
those ponderous globes which roll around us in the sky. These, 
and thousands of other views which the miscroscope exhibits, 
would never have been displayed to the human mind, had the} 
not been opened up by this admirable invention. 

In fine, by means of the two instruments to which I have 
now adverted, we behold Jehovah's empire extending to infi- 
nity on either hand. By the telescope we are presented with 
the most astonishing displays of his omnipotence, in the im- 
mense number, the rapid motions, and the inconceivable mag- 
nitude of the celestial globes ; — and, by the microscope, we 
behold, what is still more inconceivable, a display of his un- 
searchable wisdom in c.ae Divine mechanism, by which a cfcop 



256 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

of water is peopled with myriads of inhabitants — a fact, which, 
were it not subject to ocular demonstration, would far exceed 
the limits of human conception or belief. We have thus the 
most striking and sensible evidence, that, from the immeasur- 
able luminaries of heaven, and from the loftiest seraph that 
stands before the throne of God, down to this lower world, 
and to the smallest microscopic animalcula that eludes the 
finest glass — He is every where present, and, by his power, 
intelligence, and agency, animates, supports, and directs the 
whole. Such views and contemplations naturally lead us to 
advert to the character of God as delineated by the sacred 
writers, that " He is of great power and mighty in strength ;" 
that " His understanding is infinite ;" that '* His works are 
wonderful ;" that " His operations are unsearchable and past 
finding out ;" and they must excite the- devout mind to join 
with fervor in the language of adoration and praise. 

When thy amazing works, O God ! 

My mental eye surveys, 
" Transported with the view, Pm lost 

In wonder, love, and praise." 

Steam Navigation. — We might have been apt to suppose 
that the chemical experiments that were first made to demon- 
strate the force of Steam as a mechanical agent, could have 
little relation to the objects of religion, or even to the comfort 
of human life and society. Yet it has now been applied to the 
impelling of ships and large boats along rivers and seas, in op- 
position to both wind and tide, and with a velocity which, at 
an average, exceeds that of any other conveyance. We have 
no reason to believe that this invention has hitherto approxi- 
mated to a state of perfection ; it is yet in its infancy, and may 
be susceptible of such improvements, both in point of expedi- 
tion and of safety, as may render it the most comfortable and 
speedy conveyance between distant lands, for transporting the 
volume of inspiration, and the heralds of the gospel of peace to 
'* the ends of the earth." By the help of his compass the 
mariner is enabled to steer his course in the midst of the ocean, 
in the most cloudy days, and in the darkest nights, and to 
transport his vessel from one end of the world to another. It 
now only remains, that navigation be rendered safe, uniform, 
and expeditious, and not dependant on adverse winds, or the 
currents of the ocean ; and, perhaps the art of propelling ves- 
sels by the force of steam, when arrived at perfection, may 
effectuate those desirable purposes. Even at present, as the 
invention now stands, were a vessel fitted to encounter the 
waves of the Atlantic, constructed of a proper figure and 



STEAM NAVIGATION. 257 

curvature, having a proper disposition of her wheels, and hav- 
ing such a description of fuel, as could be easily stowed, and 
in sufficient quantity for the voyage — at the rate of ten miles an 
hour, she could pass from the shores of Britain to the coast of 
America, in less than thirteen days ; — and, even at eight miles 
an hour, the voyage could be completed in little more than fif- 
teen days ; so that intelligence might pass and repass between 
the eastern and western Continents within the space of a sin- 
gle month — a space of time very little more than was requisite, 
sixty years ago, for conveying intelligence between Glasgow 
and London. The greatest distance at which any two places 
on the globe lie from each other, is about 12,500 miles ; and, 
therefore, if a direct portion of water intervene between them, 
this space could be traversed in fifty-four or sixty days. And, 
if the isthmus of Panama, which connects North and South 
America, and the isthmus of Suez, which separates the Medi- 
terranean from the Red Sea, were cut into wide and deep 
canals, (which we have no doubt will be accomplished as soon 
as civilized nations have access to perform operations in these 
territories,) every country in the world could then be reached 
from Europe, in nearly a direct line ; or, at most by a gentle 
curve, instead of the long, and dangerous, and circuitous route 
which must now be taken, in sailing the eastern parts of Asia, 
and the north-western shores of America. By this means, 
eight or nine thousand miles of sailing would be saved in a 
voyage from England to Nootka Sound, or the Peninsula of 
California ; and more than six thousand miles, in passing from 
London to Bombay in the East Indies ; and few places on the 
earth would be further distant from each other by water than 
15,000 miles ; which space might be traversed at the rate 
mentioned above-, in a period from sixty-two to seventy-seven 
days.* 

But we have reason to believe, that when this invention, 
combined with other mechanical assistances, shall approxi- 
mate nearer to perfection, a much more rapid rate of motion 
will be effected ; and the advantages of this, in a religious, as 
well as in a commercial point of view, may be easily appreci- 
ated ; especially at the present period, when the Christian 
world, now aroused from their slumbers, have formed the grand 
design of sending a Bible to every inhabitant of the globe. 
When the empire of the Prince of Darkness shall be shaken 
throughout all its dependencies, and the uations aroused to in- 
quire after light, and liberty, and divine knowledge — intelli- 

* See Appendix, No. IX. 
22 



258 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

gence would thus be rapidly communicated over every region, 
and between the most distant tribes. " Many would run to 
and fro, and knowledge would be increased." The Ambas- 
sadors of the Redeemer, with the Oracles of Heaven in their 
hands, and the words of salvation in their mouths, would 
quickly be transported to every clime, " having the everlast- 
ing gospel to preach to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, 
and people." 

Air Balloons. — Similar remarks may be applied to the 
invention of Air Balloons. We have heard of some pious 
people who have mourned over such inventions, and lamented 
the folly of mankind in studying their construction, and wit- 
nessing their exhibition. Such dispositions generally proceed 
from a narrow range of thought, and a contracted view of the 
Divine Economy and arrangements in the work of Redemp- 
tion. Though the perversity of mankind has often applied 
useful inventions to foolish, and even to vicious purposes, yet 
this forms no reason why such inventions should be decried ; 
otherwise the art of Printing, and many other useful arts, 
might be regarded as inimical to the human race. We have 
reason to believe that air balloons may yet be brought to such 
perfection, as to be applied to purposes highly beneficial to the 
progress of the human mind, and subservient, in some de- 
gree, for effecting the purposes of Providence in the enlighten- 
ing and renovation of mankind. For this purpose, it is only 
requisite that some contrivance, on chemical or mechanical 
principles, be suggested, analogous to the sails or rudder of a 
ship, by which they may be moved in any direction, without 
being directed solely by the course of the wind ; and, there 
can be little doubt that such a contrivance is possible to be ef- 
fected. It requires only suitable encouragement to be given 
to ingenious experimental philosophers, and a sufficient sum 
of money to enable them to prosecute their experiments on an 
extensive scale. To the want of such pre-requisites, it is 
chiefly owing, that the hints on this subject, hitherto suggest- 
ed, have either failed of success, or have never been carried 
into execution. A more simple and expeditious process foi 
filling balloons has lately been effected — the use of the para- 
chute, by which a person may detach himself from the balloon, 
and descend to the earth, has been successfully tried, — the 
lightning of heaven has been drawn from the clouds, and 
forced to act as a mechanical power in splitting immense 
stones to pieces, — the atmosphere has been analyzed into its 
component parts, and the wonderful properties of the ingre- 
dients of which it is composed, exhibited in their separate state : 



AIR BALLOONS. 259 

and why, then, should we consider it as at all improbable that 
the means of producing a horizontal direction in aerial naviga- 
tion, may soon be discovered! Were this object once effected, 
balloons might be applied to the purpose of surveying and ex- 
ploring countries hitherto inaccessible, and of conveying the 
messengers of divine mercy to tribes of our fellow-men, whose 
existence is as yet unknown. 

We are certain that every portion of the inhabited world 
must be thoroughly explored, and its inhabitants visited, before 
the salvation of God can be carried fully into effect ; and, for 
the purpose of such explorations, we must, of course, resort 
to the inventions of human genius in art and science. Nu- 
merous tribes of the sons of Adam are, doubtless, residing in 
regions of the earth with which we have no acquaintance, and 
to which we have no access, by any of the modes of convey- 
ance presently in use. More than one-half of the interior parts 
of Africa and Asia, and even of America, are wholly unknown 
to the inhabitants of the civilized world. The vast regions of 
Chinese Tartary, Thibet, Siberia, and the adjacent districts ; 
almost the whole interior of Africa, and the continent of New 
Holland — the extensive isles of Borneo, Sumatra, New Guinea, 
and Japan, the territory of the Amazons, and the internal 
parts of North America, remain, for the most part, unknown 
and unexplored. The lofty and impassable ranges of moun- 
tains, and the deep and rapid rivers, which intervene between 
us and many of those regions, together with the savage and 
plundering hordes of men, and the tribes of ravenous beasts, 
through which the traveller must push his way— present to 
European adventurers, barriers which they cannot expect to 
mrmount, by the ordinary modes of conveyance, for a lapse of 
ages. But, by balloons constructed with an apparatus for 
directing their motions, all such obstructions would at once be 
surmounted. The most impenetrable regions, now hemmed 
in by streams and marshes, and lofty mountains, and a barba- 
rous population, would be quickly laid open ; and cities and 
nations, lakes and rivers, and fertile plains, to which we are 
now entire strangers, would soon burst upon the view. And 
the very circumstance, that the messengers of peace and sal- 
vation descended upon such unknown tribes from the regions oj 
the clouds, might arouse their minds, and excite their attention 
and regard to the message of Divine mercy which they came 
thither to proclaim.* Such a scene (and it may probably be 

* In this point of view, we cannot but feel the most poignant regret at 
the conduct of the Spaniards, after the discovery of America, towards the 



260 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

realized) would present a literal fulfilment of the prediction of 
" angels flying through the midst of" the aerial " heaven, 
having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell upon 
the earth, and to every kindred and nation." 

That the attention of the philosophical world is presently 
directed to this subject, and that we have some prospect of the 
views above suggested being soon realized, will appear from 
the following notice, which lately made its appearance in the 
London Scientific Journals : — " A Prize being offered for the 
discovery of a horizontal direction in Aerostation, M. Mingreli 
of Bologna, M. Pietripoli of Venice, and M. Lember of Nu- 
remberg, have each assumed the merit of resolving this pro- 
blem. It does not appear that any one of these has come 
forward to establish, by practical experiment, the validity of 
his claim ; but a pamphlet has lately been reprinted at Paris 
(first printed at Vienna) on this subject, addressed to all the 
learned Societies in Europe. The following passage appears 
in the work : — "Professor Robertson proposes to construct an 
aerostic machine, 150 feet in diameter, to be capable of raising 
72,954 killograms, equivalent to 149,037 lbs. weight (French.) 
To be capable of conveying all necessaries for the support of 
sixty individuals, scientific characters, to be selected by the 
Academicians, and the aerial navigations to last for some 
months, exploring different heights and climates, &c. in all 

natives of that country. When those untutored people beheld the ships 
which had conveyed Columbus and his associates from the eastern world, 
the dresses and martial order of his troops, and heard their music, and the 
thunder of their cannon, they were filled with astonishment and wonder 
at the strange objects presented to their view ; they fell prostrate at their 
feet, and viewed them as a superior race of men. When Cortes afterwards 
entered the territories of Mexico, the same sentiments of reverence and 
admiration seemed to pervade its inhabitants. Had pure Christian motives 
actuated the minds of these adventurers, and had it been their ruling desire 
to communicate to those ignorant tribes the blessings of the Gospel of peace, 
and to administer to their external comfort, the circumstances now stated 
would have been highly favourable to the success of missionary exertion, 
and would have led them to listen with attention to the message from 
heaven. But, unfortunately for the cause of religion, treachery, lust, cruelty, 
selfishness and the cursed love of gold, predominated over every other feeling, 
affixed a stigma to the Christian name, and rendered them curses, instead 
of blessings, to that newly-discovered race of men. It is most earnestly to 
be wished, that, in future expeditions in quest of unknown tribes, a few 
intelligent and philanthropic missionaries were appointed to direct the 
adventurers in their moral conduct and intercourse with the people thev 
visit, in order that nothing inconsistent with Christian principle make its 
appearance. The uniform manifestation of Christian benevolence, purity, 
and rectitude, by a superior race of men, would win the affections of a 
rude people far more effectually than all the pomp and ensigns of military 
parade. 



AIR BALLOONS. 261 

reasons. If, from accident, or wear, the machine, elevated 
above the ocean, should fail in its functions, to be furnished 
with a ship that will ensure the return of the Aeronauts." 

Should any one be disposed to insinuate, that the views now 
stated on this subject are chimerical and fallacious, I beg leave 
to remind them, that, not more than twenty years ago, the idea 
of a large vessel, without oars and sails, to be navigated 
against the wind, with the rapidity of ten miles an hour, would 
have been considered as next to an impossibility, and a mere 
fanciful scheme, which could never be realized. Yet we now 
behold such vehicles transporting whole villages to the places 
of their destination, with a degree of ease, comfort, and ex* 
pedition, formerly unknown. And little more than forty years 
have elapsed, since it would have been viewed as still more 
chimerical to have broached the idea, that a machine might 
be constructed, by which human beings might ascend more 
than two miles above the surface of the earth, and fly through 
the region of the clouds at the rate of seventy miles an hour* 
carrying along with them books, instruments^ and provisions. 
Yet both these schemes have been fully realized, and, like 
many other inventions of the human intellect* are doubtless 
intended to subserve some important ends in the economy of 
Divine Providence.* 

* Balloons were first constructed in the year 1783, by Messrs. S. and X, 
Mongolfier, paper-manufacturers at Annonay, in France. A sheep, a cock, 
and a duck, were the first animals ever carried up into the air by these 
vehicles. At the end of their journey, they were found perfectly safe and 
unhurt, and the sheep was even feeding at perfect ease. The first human 
being who ascended into the atmosphere in one of these machines, was 
M. Pilatre de Rozier. This adventurer ascended from amidst an astonished 
multitude assembled in a garden in Paris, on the 15th October, 1JS3, in a 
balloon, whose diameter was 48 feet, and its height about 74 ; and remained 
suspended above the city about four hours. Mr. Lunardi, an Italian, soon 
after, astonished the people of England and Scotland, by his aerial excur- 
sions. Dn G. Gregory gives the following account of his ascent :— " I was 
myself a spectator of the flight of Lunardi, and I never was present at a 
sight so interesting and sublime. The beauty of the gradual ascent, united 
with a sentiment of terror, on account of the danger of the man, and the 
novelty and grandeur of the whole appearance, are more than words can 
express. A delicate woman was so overcome with the spectacle, that she 
died upon the spot, as the balloon ascended ; several fainted ; and the silent 
admiration of the anxious multitude was beyond any thing I had ever, 
beheld." 

Balloons have been generally made of varnished silk, and of the shape 
of a globe or a spheroid, from thirty to fifty feet in diameter. They are 
filled with hydrogen gas, which, as formerly stated, is from twelve to fifteen 
times lighter than common air : and they rise into the atmosphere, on the 
same principle as a piece of cork ascends from the bottom of a pail of 
water. The aerial travellers are seated in a basket below the balloon, 
which is attached to it by means of cords. — The Parachute is an invention, 

22* 



*62 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Acoustic Tunnels. — By means of the inventions just 
now adverted to, when brought to perfection, mankind may be 
enabled to transport themselves to every region of the globe, 
with a much greater degree of rapidity than has hitherto been 
attained. By the help of the microscope, we are enabled to 
contemplate the invisible worlds of life, and by the telescope 
we can penetrate into regions far beyond the range of the 
unassisted eye. By the arts of Writing and Printing, we can 
communicate our sentiments, after a certain lapse of time, to 
every quarter of the world. In the progress of human know- 
ledge and improvement, it would obviously be of considerable 
importance, could we extend the range of the human voice, and 
communicate intelligence to the distance of a thousand miles, 
in the course of two or three hours ; or could we hold an occa- 
sional conversation with a friend at the distance of 20 or 30 
miles. From the experiments which have been lately made, 
in reference to the conveyance of sound, we have some reason 
to believe, that such objects may not be altogether unattaina- 
ble. It has been long known, that wood is a good conductor 
of sound. If a watch be laid on the end of a long beam of 
timber, its beating will be distinctly heard, on applying the ear 
to the other end, though it could not be heard at the same dis- 
tance through the air. In " Nicholson's Philosophical Journal" 
for February, 1803, Mr. E. Walker describes a simple appara- 
tus, connected with a speaking trumpet, by means of which, 
at the distance of 17£ feet, he held a conversation with another 
in whispers, too low to be heard through the air at that dis- 
tance. When the ear was placed in a certain position, the 
words were heard as if they had been spoken by an invisible 
being within the trumpet. And what rendered the deception 
still more pleasing, the words were more distinct, softer, and 
more musical, than if they had been spoken through the air. 
About the year 1750, a merchant of Cleves, named Joris- 
sen, who had become almost totally deaf, sitting one day near 
a harpsichord, while some one was playing, and having a 
tobacco-pipe in his mouth, the bowl of which rested accident- 
ally against the body of the instrument, he was agreeably and 
unexpectedly surprised to hear all the notes in the most dis- 
tinct manner. By a little reflection and practice, he again 

by which the voyager, in cases of alarm, maybe enabled to desert his bal- 
loon in mid-air, and descend, without injury, to the ground. They resemble 
an umbrella, but are of far greater extent. With one of these contrivances, 
twenty-three feet in diameter, M. Garnerin, having detached himself from 
his balloon, descended from a height of more than 4000 feet, and landed 
without shock or accident. 



ACOUSTIC TUNNELS. 263 

obtained the use of this valuable sense ; for he soon learned, 
by means of a piece of hard wood, one end of which he 
placed against his teeth, while another person placed the other 
end on his teeth, to keep up a conversation, and to be able to 
understand the least whisper. In this way, two persons who 
have stopped their ears may converse with each other, when 
they hold a long stick or a series of sticks, between their 
teeth, or rest their teeth against them. The effect is the same, 
if the person who speaks rest the stick against his throat, or 
his breast, or when one rests the stick which he holds in his 
teeth against some vessel into which the other speaks ; and 
the effect will be the greater, the more the vessel is capable of 
tremulous motion. These experiments demonstrate the faci- 
lity with which the softest whispers may be transmitted. — 
Water, too, is found to be a good conductor of sound. Dr. 
Franklin assures us, that he has heard under water, at the 
distance of half a mile, the sound of two stones struck against 
each other. It has been also observed, that the velocity of 
sound is much greater in solid bodies, than in the air. By a 
series of experiments, instituted for the purpose of determin- 
ing this point, Mr. Chladni found that the velocity of sound, 
in certain solid bodies, is 16 or 17 times as great as in air. 

But what has a more particular bearing on the object hinted 
at above, is, the experiments lately made by M. Biot, " on the 
transmission of sound through solid bodies, and through air, 
in very long tubes." These experiments were made by means 
of long cylindrical pipes, which were constructing for conduits 
and aqueducts, to embellish the city of Paris. With regard 
to the velocity of sound, it was ascertained that " its trans- 
mission through cast iron is 10z times as quick as through 
air." The pipes by which he wished to ascertain at what 
distance sounds are audible, were si, 039 yards, or nearly five 
furlongs, in length. M. Biot was stationed at the one end of 
this series of pipes, and Mr. Martin, a gentleman who assisted 
in the experiments, at the other. They heard the lowest 
voice, so as perfectly to distinguish the words, and to keep up 
a conversation on all the subjects of the experiments. u I 
wished," says M. Biot, " to determine the point at which the 
human voice ceases to be audible, but could not accomplish 
it : words spoken as low as when we whisper a secret in 
another's ear, were heard and understood ; so that not to be 
heard, there was but one resource, that of not speaking at all. 
— This mode of conversing with an invisible neighbor, is so 
singular that we cannot help being surprised, even though 
acquainted with the cause. Between a question and answer, 



264 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the interval was not greater than was necessary for the trans- 
mission of sound. For Mr. Martin and me, at the distance 
of 1,039 yards, this time was about 51 seconos." Reports of 
a pistol fired at one end, occasioned a considerable explosion 
at the other. The air was driven out of the pipe with suffi- 
cient force to give the hand a smart blow, to drive light sub- 
stances out of it to the distance of half a yard, and to extin- 
guish a candle, though it was 1,039 yards distant from the 
place where the pistol was fired. A detailed account of these 
experiments may be seen in Nicholson's Phil. Jour, for 
October, 1811. Don Gautier, the inventor of the Telegraph, 
suggested also the method of conveying articulate sounds to 
a great distance. He proposed to build horizontal tunnels, 
widening at the remoter extremity, and found that at the dis- 
tance of 400 fathoms, or nearly half a mile, the ticking of a 
watch could be heard far better than close to the ear. He 
calculated that a series of such tunnels would convey a mes 
sage 900 miles in an hour. 

From the experiments now stated, it appears highly pro- 
bable, that sounds may be conveyed to an indefinite distance. 
If one man can converse with another at the distance of nearly 
three quarters of a mile, by means of the softest whisper, there 
is every reason to believe, that they could hold a conversa- 
tion at the distance of 30 or 40 miles, provided the requisite 
tunnels were constructed for this purpose. The latter case 
does not appear more wonderful than the former. Were this 
point fully determined, by experiments conducted on a more 
extensive scale, a variety of interesting effects would follow, 
from a practical application of the results. A person at one 
end of a large city, at an appointed hour, might communicate 
a message, # or hold a conversation with his friend, at another ; 
friends in neighbouring, or even in distant towns, might hold 
an occasional correspondence by articulate sounds, and recog- 
nize each other's identity by their tones of voice. In the case 
of sickness, accident, or death, intelligence could thus be 
instantly communicated, and the tender sympathy of friends 
immediately exchanged. A clergyman sitting in his own room 
in Edinburgh, were it at any time expedient, might address a 
congregation in Musselburgh or Dalkeith, or even in Glasgow. 
He might preach the same sermon to his own church, and the 
next hour to an assembly at forty miles distant. And surely 
there could be no valid objection to trying the effect of an 
invisible preacher on a Christian audience. On similar prin- 
ciples, an apparatus might be constructed for augmenting the 
strength of the human voice, so as to make it extend its force 



PRACTICAL REMARKS. 265 

to an assembled multitude, composed of fifty or a hundred 
thousand individuals ; and the utility of such a power, when 
the mass of mankind are once thoroughly aroused to attend 
to rational and religious instruction, may be easily conceived. 
[n short, intelligence respecting every important discovery, 
occurrence, and event, might thus be communicated, through 
the extent of a whole kingdom, within the space of an hour 
after it had taken place. 

Let none imagine that such a project is either chimerical or 
impossible. M. Biot's experiment is decisive, so far as it 
goes ; that the softest ivhisper, without any diminution of its 
intensity, may be communicated to the distance of nearly three 
quarters of a mile ; and there is nothing but actual experi- 
ment wanting to convince us, that the ordinary tones of the 
human voice may be conveyed to at least twenty times that 
distance. We are just now acting on a similar principle, in 
distributing illumination through large cities. Not thirty years 
ago, the idea of lighting our apartments by an invisible sub- 
stance, produced at ten miles' distance, would have been con- 
sidered as chimerical, and as impossible to be realized, as the 
idea of two persons conversing together, by articulate sounds, 
at such a distance. It appears no more wonderful, that we 
should be able to hear at the distance of five or six miles, than 
that we should be enabled to see objects at that distance by 
the telescope, as distinctly as if we were within a few yards of 
them. Both are the effects of those principles and laws which 
the Creator has interwoven with the system of the material 
world ; and when man has discovered the mode of their oper- 
ation, it remains with himself to apply them to his necessities. 
What the telescope is to the eye, acoustic tunnels would be to 
the ear ; and thus, those senses on which our improvement in 
knowledge and enjoyment chiefly depends, would be gradually 
carried to the utmost perfection of which our station on earth 
will permit. And, as to the expense" of constructing such com- 
munications for sound, the tenth part of the millions of money 
expended in twenty-two years' war in which we were lately 
engaged, would, in all probability, be more than sufficient for 
distributing them in numerous ramifications, through the whole 
island of Great Britain, ~, Even although such a project were 
partially to fail of success, it would be a far more honorable 
and useful national undertaking, than that which now occupies 
the attention of the despots on the continent of Europe, and 
might be accomplished with far less expenditure, either of 
blood or of money. Less than the fourth part of a million of 
pounds would be sufficient for trying an experiment of this 



266 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

kind, on an extensive scale ; and such a sum is considered as 
a mere item, when fleets and armies are to be equipped for car- 
rying destruction through sea and land. When will the war- 
madness cease its rage ! When will men desist from the work 
of destruction, and employ their energies and their treasures 
hi the cause of human improvement ! The most chimerical 
projects that were ever suggested by the most enthusiastic 
visionary, are not half so ridiculous, and degrading to the 
character of man, as those ambitious and despotic schemes, in 
which the powers of the earth in all ages have been chiefly en- 
gaged, — But on this topic it is needless to enlarge, till more 
extended experiments shall have been undertaken. 

In the preceding sketches I have presented a few specimens 
of the relation which the inventions of human ingenuity bear 
to religious objects. I intended to have traced the same rela- 
tion in several other instances ; in the invention of the elec- 
trical machine, the air-pump, mills, clocks and watches, gas- 
lights, chemical fumigations, inventions for enabling us to 
walk upon the water, to prevent and alleviate the dangers of 
shipwreck, &c. &c. But, as my prescribed limits will E*ot 
permit farther enlargement, I trust that what has been already 
stated will be sufficient to establish and illustrate my general 
position. From this subject we may learn — 

1st, That the various processes of art, and the exertions of 
human ingenuity, are under the special direction of Him who 
arranges all things " according to the counsel of his will." As 
" the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and as the rivers 
of waters, he turns it whithersoever he pleases ;" so, all the 
varied schemes and movements of the human mind, the 
discoveries of science, and the diversified experiments of 
mechanics, chemists and philosophers, are directed in such 
channels as may issue in the accomplishment of His eternal 
purposes, in respect to the present and future condition of the 
inhabitants of our world. This truth is also plainly taught us in 
the records of inspiration, "Doth the ploughman plough all 
day to sow ? Doth he open and break the clods of his ground ? 
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast 
abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin,* and cast in the 
wheat in the principal [place,] and the barley in the appointed 
place, and the rye in its proper place ? For his God doth in- 
struct him to discretion, and doth teach him. This also cometh 
forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and 

* Fitches is a kind of seed frequently sown in Judea, for the use of cat- 
lie ; and cummin is the seed of a plaint somewhat like fennel. 



MILLENNIAL ERA. 267 

excellent in working." Agriculture has, by most nations, 
been attributed to the suggestions of Deity ; for " every good 
and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights." It is 
he who hath taught men to dig from the bowels of the earth, 
iron, copper, lead, silver, and gold, and to apply them to useful 
purposes in social life ; and who hath given them " wisdom 
and understanding" to apply the animal and vegetable produc- 
tions of nature to the manufacture of cloths, linen, muslin, and 
silk, for the use and the ornament of man. For " all things 
are of God." " Both riches and honor come from him, and 
he reigneth over all, and in his hand is power and might, and 
in his hand it is to make great, and to give strength to all." 
When the frame of the Mosaic Tabernacle, and all its curious 
vessels were to be constructed, the mind of Bezaleel " was 
filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and 
in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise 
curious works in gold, and in silver, and in brass." And, when 
the fabric of the New Testament church is to be reared, and 
its boundaries are extended, artificers of every description, ade- 
quate for carrying on the different parts of the works are 
raised up, and inspired with the spirit of their respective de- 
partments — some with the spirit of writing, printing, and pub- 
lishing ; some with the spirit of preaching, lecturing, and cate- 
chising ; some with the spirit of fortitude, to make bold and 
daring adventures into distant barbarous climes ; and others, 
with the spirit of literature, of science, and of the mechanical 
arts- — all acting as pioneers " to prepare the way of the Lord," 
and as builders for carrying forward and completing the fabric 
of the Christian Church. 

2dly, All the mechanical contrivances to which I have ad- 
verted, all the discoveries of science, and all the useful inven- 
tions of genius which may hereafter be exhibited, ought to be 
viewed as preparing the way for the millennial era of the church, 
and as having a certain tendency to the melioration of the ex- 
ternal condition of mankind during its continuance. We are 
certain, from the very nature of things, as well as from scrip- 
tural predictions, that, when this period advances towards the 
summit of its glory, the external circumstances of this world's 
population will be comfortable, prosperous, and greatly melio- 
rated beyond what they have ever been in the ages that are 
past — " Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even 
our own God, shall bless us. Then shall he give the rain of thy 
seed, that thou shalt sow thy ground withal, and bread of the 
increase of the earth ; and it shall be fat and plenteous. In 
that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures ; the oxen like 



268 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

wise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat savoury 
provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and 
with the fan. And the inhabitants shall not say, I am sick. 
They shall build houses and inhabit them, and plant vineyards, 
and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another 
inhabit ; they shall not plant, and another eat ; for, as the days 
of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long 
enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, 
nor bring forth for trouble ; for they are the seed of the blessed 
of the Lord, and their offspring with them. The seed shall be 
prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall 
give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew ; the 
evil beasts shall cease out of the land, and they shall sit every 
man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none shall 
make him afraid ; for wars shall cease to the ends of the world, 
and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the 
waters cover the sea."* Diseases will be, in a great measure, 
banished from the world, and the life of man extended far be- 
yond its present duration — agriculture will be brought to per- 
fection — commodious habitations erected for the comfortable 
accommodation of all ranks — cities built on elegant and spa- 
cious plans, adapted to health, ornament, and pleasure ; di- 
vested of all the filth, and darkness, and gloom, and narrow 
lanes which now disgrace the abodes of men — roads will be 
constructed on improved principles, with comfortable means 
of retreat for shelter and accommodation of all seasons ; and 
conveyances invented for the ease, and safety, and rapid con- 
veyance of persons and property from one place to another. 
Either the climates of the earth will be meliorated, by the uni- 
versal cultivation of the soil, so that storms and tempests, 
thunders and lightnings, shall no longer produce their present 
ravages : or chemical and mechanical contrivances will be in- 
vented to ward off their destructive effects. The landscape of 
the earth will be adorned with vegetable and architectural 
beauty ; and, instead of horse-racing, demoralizing plays, 
routs, and masquerades, boxing, and bull-baits — artificial dis- 
plays of scenery will be exhibited, more congenial to the dig- 
nity of rational, renovated, and immortal minds. For " the 
knowledge of the Lord," and the "beauties of holiness," will 
pervade men of all ranks and ages, " from the least even to the 
greatest."| 

Psalm lxvii. Isaiah xxx. 23, 24. xxxiii. 24. Ixy. 21, 23, &c. 

t The various circumstances above-stated may be considered as the 
natural results of a state of society on which the light of science a^d of r<*ve- 



MILLENNIAL ERA. 269 

Now, as we have no reason to expect any miraculous inter- 
ference, we must regard the past, and the future useful inven- 
tions of philosophy and mechanics, as having a bearing on this 
glorious period, and a tendency to promote the improvement 
and the felicity of those who shall live during this era of Mes- 
siah's reign. If diseases are to be generally abolished, it will 
be owing to the researches of the scientific physician in dis- 
covering certain antidotes against every disorder, and to the 
practice of temperance, meekness, equanimity of mind, and 
every other means of preserving the vigor of the animal frame. 
If the earth is to produce its treasures in abundance, and with 
little labour, it will be owing, in part, to the improvement of 
agricultural science, and of the instruments by which its opera- 
tions are conducted. If the lightnings of heaven shall no 
longer prove destructive to man and to the labors of his hands, 
it will be effected either by machinery for drawing off the 
electricity of a stormy cloud, or by the invention of thunder- 
guards, which shall afford a complete protection from its rav- 
ages. In these, and numerous other instances, the inventions 
of men, under the guidance of the Spirit of Wisdom, will 
have a tendency to remove a great part of the Curse which 
has so long hung over our sinful world. And since the inven- 
tions of human skill and ingenuity for the melioration of man- 
kind, and for the swift conveyance of intelligence have, of 
late years, been rapidily increasing, at the same time when the 
Christian world is roused to increased exertions in dissemina- 
ting the Scriptures throughout all lands, when general know- 
ledge is increasingly diffused, and when the fabric of Supersti- 
tion and Despotism is shaking to its foundations, — these com- 
bined and simultaneous movements seem plainly to indicate, 
that that auspicious era is fast hastening on, when " the glory 
of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together," 
when " righteousness and praise shall sprirg forth before all 

Iation has diffused its full influence, and where the active powers of the 
human mind are invariably directed by the pure principles and precepts of 
Christianity, That the duration of human life, at the era referred to, will 
be extended beyond its present boundary, appears to be intimated in some 
of the passages above quoted, particularly the following — "Jls the days of 
a tree shall be the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work 
of their hands." And, if the life of man will be thus protracted to an in- 
definite period, it will follow, that those diseases which now prey upon the 
human frame, and cut short its vital action, will be in a great measure ex- 
tirpated. Both these effects may be viewed (without supposing any mira- 
culous interference) as the natural consequence of that happiness and 
equanimity of mind which will flow from the practice of Christian virtues, 
from the enlargement of our knowledge of the principles of nature, anL 
from the physical enjoyments which such a state of society will furnish. 

23 



270 fHE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

nations," and when " Holiness to the Lord," shall be inscribed 
on all the pursuits, and implements, and employments of men. 
Lastly, — If the remarks suggested above be well founded, 
we may conclude, that the mechanical and philosophical inven- 
tions of genius are worthy of the attentive consideration of 
the enlightened Christian, particularly in the relation they may 
have to the accomplishment of religious objects. He should 
contemplate the experiments of scientific men, not as a waste 
of time, or the mere gratification of an idle curiosity, but as 
embodying the germs of those improvements, by which civili- 
zation, domestic comfort, knowledge, and moral principle may 
be diffused among the nations. To view such objects with 
apathy and indifference, as beneath the regard of a religious 
character, argues a weak and limited understanding, and a 
contracted view of the grand operations of a Superintending 
Providence. 



CHAPTER IV. 



SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINES AND FACTS ILLUSTRATED 
FROM THE SYSTEM OF NATURE.* 

Without g!" ending time in any introductory ooservations 
cm this s\ 3j<? P\ it may be remarked in generals " 

I. — That scientific knowledge, or an acquaintance with the 
System of Nature, may frequently serve as a guide to the true 
interpretation of Scripture, 

It may be laid down as a universal principle, that there can 
be no real discrepancy between a just interpretation of Scrip- 
ture, and the facts of physical science ; and on this principle, 
the following canon is founded, which may be considered as 
an infallible rule for Scripture-interpretation, namely, — That 
no interpretation of Scripture ought to be admitted ivhich is 
inconsistent with any well- authenticated facts in the material 
world. By well-authenticated facts, I do not mean the theories 
of philosophers, or the deductions they may have drawn from 
them, nor the confident assertions or plausible reasonings of 
scientific men in support of any prevailing system of Natural 
science ; but those facts which are universally admitted, and 
the reality of which every scientific inquirer has it in his power 
to ascertain : such as that the earth is not an extended plane, 
but a round or globular body, and that the rays of the sun, 
when converged to a focus by a large convex glass, will set 
fire to combustible substances. Such facts, when ascertained, 
ought to be considered as a revelation from God, as well as 
the declarations of his word. For they make known to us a 

* Under this head, it was originally intended to embrace an elucidation 
of a considerable variety of the facts recorded in the Sacred History, and 
of the allusions of the inspired writers to the system of nature ; but as the 
volume has already swelled beyond the limits proposed, I am reluctantly 
compelled to confine myself to the illustration of only two or three topics* 



272 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

portion of his character, of his plans and his operations.— 
This rule may be otherwise expressed as follows : — Where a 
passage of Scripture is of doubtful meanings or capable of dif- 
ferent interpretation, that interpretation ought to be preferred 
which will best agree with the established discoveries of science. 
For since the Author of revelation and the Author of univer- 
sal nature is one and the same Infinite Being, — there must 
exist a complete harmony between the revelations of his word, 
and the facts or relations which are observed in the material 
universe. To suppose the contrary, would be to suppose the 
Almighty capable of inconsistency ; a supposition which would 
go far to shake our confidence in the theology of Nature, as 
well as of Revelation. If, in any one instance, a Record 
claiming to be a Revelation from heaven were found to con- 
tradict a well-known fact in the material world ; if, for exam- 
ple, it asserted, in express terms, to be Lterall^ understood, 
that the earth is a quiescent body in the centre o the universe, 
or that the moon is no larger than a mountain ; it would be a 
fair conclusion, either that the revelation was not Divine, or 
that the passages embodying such assertions are interpolations, 
or, that science, in reference to these points, has not yet arri- 
ved at the truth. The example, we are aware, is inapplicable 
to the Christian Revelation, which rests securely on its own 
basis, and to which science is gradually approximating, as it 
advances in the amplitude of its views, and the correctness of 
its deductions ; — but it shows us how necessary it is, in inter- 
preting the Word of God, to keep our eye fixed upon his 
Works ; for we may rest assured, that truth in the one will 
always correspond with fact in the other. 

To illustrate the rule now laid down, an example or two 
may be stated. — If it be a fact that geological research has 
ascertained that the materials of the strata of the earth, arc oi 
a more ancient date than the Mosaic account of the com- 
mencement of the present race of men ; the passages in the 
first chapter of Genesis, and other parts of Scripture, which 
refer to the origin of our world, must be explained as convey- 
ing the idea, that the earth was then merely arranged into its 
present form and order, out of the materials which previously 
existed in a confused mass, and which had been created by 
the Almighty at a prior period in duration. For Moses no 
where asserts, that the materials of our globe were created, or 
brought into existence out of nothing, at the time to which his 
history refers ; but insinuates the contrary. " For the earth," 
says he, prior to its present constitution, " was without form 
and void," &c. — Again, if it be a fact that the universe is in 



SCRIPTURAL FACTS ILLUSTRATED. 273 

definitely extended, that, of many millions of vast globes which 
diversify the voids of space, only two or three have any im- 
mediate connexion with the earth ; then it will appear most 
reasonable to conclude, that those expressions in the Mosaic 
history of the creation, which refer to the creation of the fixed 
stars, are not to be understood as referring to the time when 
they were brought into existence, as if they had been created 
about the same time with our earth ; but, as simply declaring 
the fact, that, at what period soever in duration they were cre- 
ated, they derived their existence from God. That they did 
not all commence their existence at that period, is demon- 
strable from the fact, that, within the space of 2000 years 
past, and even within the space of the two last centuries, new 
stars have appeared in the heavens, which previously did not 
exist in the concave of the firmament ; which, consequently, 
have been created since the Mosaic period ; or, at least, had 
undergone a change analogous to that which took place in our 
globe, when it emerged from a chaotic state, to the form and 
order in which we now behold it. Consequently, the phrase, 
" God rested from all his works," must be understood, not 
absolutely, or in reference to the whole system of nature, but 
merely in relation to our world ; and as importing, that the 
Creator then ceased to form any new species of beings on the 
terraqueous globe. — The same canon will direct us in the in- 
terpretation of those passages which refer to the last judgment, 
and the destruction of the present constitution of our globe. 
When, in reference to these events, it is said, " that the stars 
shall fall from heaven," that " the powers of heaven shall be 
shaken," and that " the earth and the heaven shall flee away," 
our knowledge of the system of nature leads us to conclude, 
either that such expressions are merely metaphorical, or that 
they describe only the appearance, not the reality of things. 
For it is impossible that the stars can ever fall to the earth, 
since each of them is of a size vastly superior to our globe, 
and could never be attracted to its surface, without unhinging 
the laws and the fabric of universal nature. The appearance, 
however, of the " heaven fleeing away," would be produced, 
should the earth's diurnal rotation, at that period, be suddenly 
stopped, as will most probable happen ; in which case, all 
nature in this sublunary system, would be thrown into confu- 
sion, and the heavens, with all their host, would appear to flee 
away. 

Now, the scientific student of Scripture alone can judi- 
ciously apply the canon to which I have adverted ; he alone 
can appreciate its utility in the interpretation of the sacred 

23* 



274 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

oracles ; for ho knows the facts which the philosopher and 
the astronomer have ascertained to exist in the system of 
nature ; from the want of which information, many divines, 
whose comments on Scripture have, in other respects, been 
judicious, have displayed their ignorance, and fallen into egre- 
gious blunders, when attempting to explain the first chapters of 
Genesis, and several parts of the book of Job, which have 
tended to bring discredit on the oracles of heaven. 

II. — The System of Nature Confirms and Illustrates the 
Scriptural Doctrine of the Depravity of Man. 

In the preceding parts of this volume, I have stated several 
striking instances of Divine benevolence, which appear in the 
construction of the organs of the animal system, in the con- 
stitution of the earth, the waters, and the atmosphere, and in 
the variety of beauties and sublimities which adorn the face of 
nature ; all which proclaim, in language which can scarcely 
be mistaken, that the Creator has a special regard to the hap- 
piness of his creatures. — Yet the Scriptures uniformly de- 
clare, that man has fallen from his primeval state of inno- 
cence, and has violated the laws of his Maker ; that " his 
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ;" 
ard that u destruction and misery are in his ways." Obser 
vation and experience also demonstrate, that a moral disease 
pervades the whole human family, from the most savage to 
the most civilized tribes of mankind ; which has displayed its 
virulence in those wars and devastations which have, in all 
ages, convulsed the world ; and which daily displays itself in 
those acts of injustice, fraud, oppression, malice, tyranny, and 
cruelty, which are perpetrated in every country, and among 
all the ranks even of civilized life. That a world inhabited 
by moral agents of this description would display, in its phy- 
sical constitution, certain indications of its Creator's displea- 
sure, is what we should naturally expect, from a consideration 
of those attributes of his nature with which we are acquainted. 
Accordingly, we find, that, amidst all the evidences of benevo 
lence which our globe exhibits, there are not wanting, certain 
displays of " the wrath of Heaven against the ungodliness 
and unrighteousness of men," in order to arouse them to a 
sense of their guilt, and to inspire them with reverence and 
awe of that Being whom they have offended. The following 
facts, among many others, may be considered as corroborating 
this position. 

In the first place, the present state of the interior strata of 



DEPRAVITY OF MAN. 275 

the earth may be considered as a presumptive evidence, that 
a moral revolution has taken place since man was placed upon 
the globe. When we penetrate into the interior recesses of 
the earth, we find its different strata bent into the most irre- 
gular forms ; sometimes lying horizontally, sometimes pro- 
jecting upwards, and sometimes downwards, and thrown into 
confusion ; as if some dreadful concussion had spread its 
ravages through every part of the solid crust of our globe. 
This is visible in every region of the earth. Wherever the 
miner penetrates among his subterraneous recesses, wherever 
the fissures and caverns of the earth are explored, and 
wherever the mountains lay bare their rugged cliffs, the marks 
of ruin, convulsion, and disorder meet the eye of the beholder. 
Evidences of these facts are to be found in the records of all 
intelligent travellers and geologists who have visited Alpine 
districts, or explored the subterraneous regions of the earth ; 
of which I have already stated a few instances, in the article 
of Geology, pp. 160, 165, 166. — These facts seem evidently 
to indicate that the earth is not now in the same state in which 
it originally proceeded from the hand of its Creator ; for such 
a scene of disruption and derangement appears incompatible 
with that order, harmony and beauty which are apparent in 
the other departments of nature. We dare not assert, that 
such terrible convulsions took place by chance, or indepen- 
dent of the will of the Creator ; nor dare we insinuate, that 
they were the effects of a random display of Almighty Power ; 
and, therefore, we are necessarily led to infer, that a moral 
cause, connected with the conduct of the rational inhabitants 
of the globe, must have existed, to warrant so awful an inter- 
position of Divine Power ; for the fate of the animated beings 
which then peopled the earth, was involved in the conse- 
quences which must have attended this terrible catastrophe. 
The volume of Revelation on this point, concurs with the de- 
ductions of reason, and assigns a cause adequate to warrant 
the production of such an extraordinary effect. " The wick- 
edness of man was great upon the earth ; the earth was 
filled with violence ; every purpose and desire of man's 
heart was only evil continually." Man had frustrated 
the end of his existence ; the earth was turned into a habita- 
tion of demons ; the long period to which his life was pro- 
tracted, only served to harden him in his wickedness, and to 
enable him to carry his diabolical schemes to their utmost 
extent, till the social state of the human race became a scene 
of unmixed depravity and misery. And the physical effects 
of the punishment of this universal defection from God, are 



276 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

presented to our view in every land, and will remain to all 
ages, as a visible memorial that man has rebelled against the 
authority of his Maker. 

2. The existence of Volcanoes, and the terrible ravages they 
produce, bear testimony to the state of man as a depraved 
intelligence. A volcano is a mountain, generally of an im- 
mense size, from whose summit issue fire, smoke, sulphur, 
and torrents of melted lava, (see p. 141.) Previous to an 
eruption, the smoke, which is continually ascending from the 
crater, or opening in the top, increases and shoots up to an. 
immense height ; forked lightning issues from the ascending 
column ; showers of ashes are thrown out to the distance of 
forty or fifty miles ; volleys of red hot stones are discharged 
to a great height in the air ; the sky appears thick and dark ; 
the luminaries of heaven disappear ; and these terrible fore- 
bodings are accompanied with thunder, lightning, frequent 
concussions of the earth, and dreadful subterraneous bellow- 
ings. When these alarming appearances have continued 
sometimes four or five months, the lava begins to make its 
appearance, either boiling over the top, or forcing its way 
through the side of the mountain. This fiery deluge of 
melted minerals rolls down the declivity of the mountain, 
forming a dismal flaming stream, sometimes fourteen miles 
long, six miles broad, and 200 feet deep. In its course, it 
destroys orchards, vineyards, cornfields, and villages ; and 
sometimes cities, containing twenty thousand inhabitants, 
have been swallowed up and consumed. Several other phe- 
nomena, of awful sublimity, sometimes accompany these 
eruptions. In the eruption of Vesuvius, in 1794, a shock of 
an earthquake was felt ; and, at the same instant, a fountain 
of bright fire, attended with the blackest smoke, and a loud 
report, was seen to issue, and to rise to a great height from 
the cone of the mountain ; and was soon succeeded by fifteen 
other fiery fountains, all in a direct line, extending for a mile 
and a half downwards. This fiery scene was accompanied 
with the loudest thunder, the incessant reports of which, like 
those of a numerous heavy artillery, were attended by a con- 
tinued hollow murmur, similar to that of the roaring of the 
ocean during a violent storm. The houses in Naples, at 
seven miles' distance, were for several hours in a constant 
tremor ; the bells ringing, and doors and windows incessantly 
rattling and shaking. The murmur of the prayers and lamen- 
tations of a numerous population added to the horrors of the 
scene. All travellers, who have witnessed these eruptions, 
seem to be at a loss to find words sufficiently emphatic to 



DEPRAVITY OF MAN. 277 

express the terrors of the scene, " One cannot form a juster 
idea," says Bishop Berkley, " of the noise emitted by the 
mountain, than by imagining a mixed sound made up of the 
raging of a tempest, the murmur of a troabled sea, and the 
roaring of thunder and artillery, confused altogether. Though 
we heard this at the distance of twelve miles, yet it was very 
terrible." In 1744, the flames of Cotopaxi, in South Ame- 
rica, rose 3,000 feet above the brink of the crater, and its 
roarings were heard at the distance of six hundred miles. 
" At the port of Guayaquil, 150 miles distant from the crater," 
says Humboldt, " we heard, day and night, the noise of this 
volcano, like continued discharges of a battery, and we distin- 
guished these tremendous sounds even on the Pacific ocean." 

The ravages produced by volcanoes are in proportion to 
the terror they inspire. In the eruption of Etna, in 1669, the 
stream of lava destroyed, in 40 days, the habitations of 27,000 
persons ; and, of 20,000 inhabitants of the city of Catania, 
only 3,000 escaped. In the year 79, the celebrated cities of 
Pompeii and Herculaneum were completely overwhelmed and 
buried under ground by an eruption of Vesuvius, and the spots 
on which they stood remained unknown for 1600 years. 
Since that period, about 40 eruptions have taken place, each 
of them producing the most dreadful ravages. But the vol- 
canoes of Asia and America are still more terrible and de- 
structive than those of Europe. The volcanic mountain 
Pichinca, near Quito, caused, on one occasion, the destruction 
of 35,000 inhabitants. In the year 1772, an eruption of a 
mountain in the island of Java, destroyed 40 villages, and 
several thousands of the inhabitants ; and in October, 1822, 
eighty-eight hamlets, and above 2000 persons, were destroyed 
in the same island, by a sudden eruption from a new volcano. 
The eruption of Tomboro, in the island of Sumbawa, in 1815, 
was so dreadful, that all the Moluccas, Java, Sumatra, and 
Borneo, to the distance of a thousand miles from the moun- 
tain, felt tremulous motions, and heard the report of explo- 
sions. In Java, at the distance of 340 miles, the clouds of 
ashes from the volcano produced utter darkness. 

Yolcanoes are more numerous than is generally imagined. 
They are to be found in every quarter of the world, from the 
icy shores of Kamtschatka to the mountains of Patagonia. 
Humboldt enumerates 40 volcanoes constantly burning, be- 
tween Cotopaxi and the Pacific Ocean ; 20 have been observed 
in the chain of mountains that stretches along Kamtschatka ; 
and many of them are to be seen in the Phillippines, the 
Moluccas, the Cape de Verd, the Sandwich, the Ladrone, and 



£78 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

other islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is stated 
in vol. 6th of Sup. to Ency. Brit, lately published, that about 
205 volcanoes are known, including only those which have 
been active within a period to which history or tradition 
reaches. Europe contains 14 ; and, of the whole number, it 
is computed, that 107 are in islands, and 98 on the great 
continents. 

Can we then suppose, that so many engines of terror and 
destruction, dispersed over every quarter of the globe, are 
consistent with the conduct of a benevolent Creator towards 
an innocent race of men 1 If so, we must either admit that the 
Creator had it not in his power, when arranging our terrestrial 
system, to prevent the occasional action of these dreadful 
ravagers, or, that he is indifferent to the happiness of his 
innocent offspring. The former admission is inconsistent 
with the idea of his Omnipotence, and the latter, with the idea 
of his universal Benevolence. It is not, therefore, enthu- 
siasm, but the fairest deduction of reason to conclude, that 
they are indications of God's displeasure against a race of 
transgressors who have apostatized from his laws. 

3. The same reasoning will apply to the ravages produced 
by earthquakes. Next to volcanoes, earthquakes are the 
most terrific phenomena of nature, and are even far more 
destructive to man, and to the labors of his hands. An earth- 
quake, which consists in a sudden motion of the earth, is 
generally preceded by a rumbling sound, sometimes like that 
of a number of carriages driving furiously along the pavement 
of a street, sometimes like the rushing noise of a mighty wind, 
and sometimes like the explosions of artillery. Their effect 
on the surface of the earth is various. Sometimes it is instan- 
taneously heaved up in a perpendicular direction, and some- 
times it assumes a kind of rolling motion, from side to side. — 
The ravages which earthquakes have produced, are terrible 
beyond description ; and are accomplished almost in a mo- 
ment. In 1692, the city of Port-Royal, in Jamaica, was 
destroyed by an earthquake, in the space of two minutes, and 
the houses sunk into a gulph forty fathoms deep. In 1693, 
an earthquake happened in Sicily, which either destroyed, or 
greatly damaged, fifty-four cities, and an incredible number of 
villages. The city of Catania was utterly overthrown : the 
sea all of a sudden began to roar ; mount Etna to send forth 
immense spires of flame ; and immediately a shock ensued, as 
if all the artillery in the world had been discharged. The birds 
flew about astonished ; the sun was darkened ; the beasts ran 
howling from the hills ; a dark cloud of dust covered the air ; 



DEPRAVITY OF MAN. 279 

and, though the shock did not last three minutes, yet nine- 
teen thousand of the inhabitants of the city perished in the 
ruins. This shock extended to a circumference of 7000 
miles. 

Earthquakes have been producing their ravages in various 
parts of the world, and in every age. Pliny informs us, that 
12 cities in Asia Minor were swallowed up in one night. In 
the year 115, the city of Antioch, and a great part of the adja- 
cent country, were buried by an earthquake. About 300 
years after, it was again destroyed, along with 40,000 inhabi- 
tants ; and, after an interval of only 60 years, it was a third 
time overturned, with the loss of not less than 60,000 souls. 
In 1755, Lisbon was destroyed by an earthquake, and it buried 
under its ruins above 50,000 inhabitants. The effects of this 
terrible earthquake were felt over the greater part of Europe 
and Africa, and even in the midst of the Atlantic ocean ; and 
are calculated to have extended over a space of not less than 
four millions of square miles. In August, 1822, two-thirds 
of the city of Aleppo, which contained 40,000 houses, and 
200,000 inhabitants, were destroyed by an earthquake, and 
nearly thirty thousand inhabitants were buried under the ruins. 
— To suppose that the human beings who have been victims 
to the ravages of earthquakes and volcanoes, " were sinners 
above all those who dwelt around them," would be the height 
of impiety and presumption. But, the fact that thousands of 
rational beings have been swept from existence, in a manner 
so horrible and tremendous, seems plainly to indicate, that 
they belonged to a race of apostate intelligences, who had 
violated the commands of their Creator. Such visitations are 
quite accordant to the idea of man being in the condition of a 
transgressor ; but, if he were an innocent creature, they would 
be altogether unaccountable, as happening under the govern- 
ment of a Being of unbounded benevolence. 

4. The phenomena of thunder-storms, tempests, and hurri- 
canes, and the ravages they produce, are also presumptive 
proofs that man is a depraved intelligence. In that season of 
the year when Nature is arrayed in her most beautiful attire, 
and the whole terrestrial landscape tends to inspire the mind 
with cheerfulness — suddenly a sable cloud emerges from the 
horizon — the sky assumes a baleful aspect — a dismal gloom 
envelopes the face of nature — the lightnings flash from one 
end of the horizon to another — the thunders roll with awful 
majesty along the verge of heaven, till at length they burst 
over head in tremendous explosions. The sturdy oak is shat- 
tered and despoiled of its foliage ; rocks are rent into shivers ; 



280 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

and the grazing herds are struck into a lifeless group. Even 
man is not exempted from danger in the midst of this appall- 
ing scene. For hundreds in every age have fallen victims 
either to the direct stroke of the lightning, or to the concus- 
sions and conflagrations with which it has been attended. In 
tropical countries, the phenomena of thunder-storms are more 
dreadful and appalling, than in our temperate climate. The 
thunder frequently continues for days and weeks in almost one 
incessant roar ; the rains are poured down in torrents ; and 
the flashes of lightning follow each other in so rapid a succes- 
sion, that the whole atmosphere and the surrounding hills 
seem to be in a blaze. In some instances, the most dreadful 
effects have been produced by the bursting of an electrical 
cloud. In 1772, a bright cloud was observed at midnight to 
cover a mountain in the Island of Java ; it emitted globes of 
fire so luminous, that the night became as clear as day. Its 
effects were astonishing. Every thing was destroyed for 7 
leagues round ; houses were demolished ; plantations buried 
in the earth ; and 2140 people lost their lives, besides 1500 
head of cattle, and a vast number of horses and other animals. 
— Ency. Brit. — Art. Cloud. 

Is it not reasonable, then, to conclude, that such awful phe- 
nomena as storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes, are so many 
occasional indications of the frown of an offended Creator upon 
a race of transgressors, in order to arouse them to a sense of 
their apostacy from the God of heaven ? We cannot con- 
ceive that such physical operations, accompanied by so many 
terrific and destructive effects, are at all compatible with the 
idea that man is at present in a paradisiacal state, and pos- 
sessed of that moral purity in which he was created. Such 
appaling displays of Almighty power are in cemplete unison 
with the idea, that man is a trangressor, and that the present 
dispensations of God are a mixture of mercy and of judgment ; 
but if he belong to an innocent race of moral intelligences, 
they appear quite anomalous, and are altogether inexplicable, 
on the supposition, that a Being of infinite benevolence and 
rectitude directs the operations of the physical and moral 
w T orld ; more especially when we consider the admirable care 
which is displayed in the construction of animal bodies, in 
order to prevent pain, and to produce pleasurable sensations. 
When man was first brought into existence, his thoughts and 
affections, we must suppose, were in unison with the will of 
his Creator ; his mind was serene and unruffled ; and, con- 
sequently, no foreboding apprehensions of danger would, in 
such a state, take possession of his breast. But after he had 



DEPRAVITY OF MAN. 281 

swerved from the path of primeval rectitude, and especially 
after the Deluge had swept away the inhabitants of the Ante- 
diluvian world, the constitution of the earth and the atmosphere 
seems to have undergone a mighty change, corresponding to 
the degraded state into which he had fallen ; so that those very 
elements which may have formerly ministered to his enjoy- 
ment — by being formed into different combinations — now con- 
spire to produce terror and destruction. 

The same important conclusion might have been deduced, 
from a consideration of the immense deserts of marshes and 
barren sands which are dispersed over the globe — the vast and 
frightful regions of ice around the poles — the position of the 
mineral strata, and the vast disproportion which the extent of 
the dry land bears to the expanse of the ocean — all which cir- 
cumstances, and many others, in conjunction with the facts 
above-stated, conspire to show, that man no longer stands in 
the rank of a pure intelligence ; and that his habitation cor 
responds, in some degree, to his state of moral degradation 
By overlooking this consideration, St. Pierre, and other natu- 
ralists have found themselves much at a loss, when attempting 
to vindicate the wisdom and equity of Providence, in the phy- 
sical disorders which exist in the present constitution of our 
globe. The circumstance, that man is a fallen creature, ap- 
pears the only clue to guide us in unravelling the mysteries of 
Providence, and to enable us to perceive the harmony and con- 
sistency of the Divine operations in the system of nature ; and 
no other consideration will fully account for the disorders 
which exist in the present economy of our world. 

But, it is a most consoling consideration, that, amidst all 
the physical evils which abound, the benevolence and mercy 
of God are admirably blended with the indications of his dis- 
pleasure. Thunder-storms and tempests contribute to the 
purification of the atmosphere ; and volcanoes are converted 
into funnels for vomiting up those fiery materials which pro- 
duce earthquakes, and which might otherwise swallow up 
whole provinces in one mighty gulf. In the ordinary course 
of things, such phenomena are more terrific than destructive ; 
and are calculated rather to rouse an unthinking world to con- 
sideration, than to prove the instruments of human destruc- 
tion. Compared with the miseries w T hich men have volunta- 
rily inflicted on one another, the destructive effects of the ele- 
ments of nature dwindle into mere temporary and trifling acci- 
dents. We have reason to believe, that a much greater destruc* 
tion of human beings has been produced by two or three of th*3 
late battles in modern Europe, such as those of Waterloo, 

24 



282 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Borodina, and Smolensko, than has been produced by all the 
electrical storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, which 
have raged for the space of a hundred years. It has been calcu- 
lated, that during the Russian campaign of 1812, including men, 
women, and children, belonging to the French and Russians, 
there were not less than five hundred thousand human victims 
sacrificed to the demon of war. It is probable, that the des- 
truction produced among the human race, by the convulsions 
of nature, since the commencement of time, (the deluge only 
excepted,) does not amount to above four or five millions of 
lives ; but were we to take into account the destruction of 
human life produced by ambition, tyranny, oppression, super- 
stition, wars, devastations, murders, and horrid cruelties, in 
every period of the world, it would, doubtless, amount to seve- 
ral hundreds of millions. So that, amidst the most terrible dis- 
plays of the displeasure of God against the sins of men, mercy 
is mingled with judgment ; and while man is the greatest 
enemy and destroyer of his own species, benevolence is the 
prominent feature of all the arrangements of the Deity in the 
physical world. For " his tender mercies are over all his 
works."* 

III. — The discoveries which have been made in the system oj 
nature, illust7*ate the doctrine of the Resurrection of the 
Dead. 

The doctrine of a Resurrection from the dead, at first view, 
appears to involve in it a variety of difficulties, and apparent 
contradictions. That a complex organical machine, as the 
human body is, consisting of thousands of diversified parts 
for the performance of its functions, after it has been reduced 
to atoms, and those atoms dispersed to " the four winds of 
heaven" — should be again reared up with the same materials, 
in a new and more glorious form — is an idea which seems to 
baffle the human comprehension ; and, in all probability, would 
never have entered the mind of man, had it not been commu- 
nicated by Divine Revelation. Accordingly we find, that the 
philosophers of antiquity, though many of them believed in 
the doctrine of a future state, never once dreamed, that the 
bodies of men, after they had been committed to the dust, 

* The facts stated in this section are expressed, for the most part in the 
author's own words, for the sake of compression. — His authorities are, 
Goldsmith's " Natural Hist.," Humboldt's " Travels," Brydon's," Tour," 
Sir W. Hamilton's " Observations," Raffles' " History of Java," Ency. 
Brit, Art. Etna, Volcano, Earthquake, Antioch, Cloud ; The Literary and 
Scientific Journals for 1822., &c. 



THE RESURRECTION ILLUSTRATED. 283 

would ever again be reanimated ; and hence, when the Apostle 
Paul proposed this doctrine to the Athenian philosophers, they 
scouted the idea, as if it had been the reverie of a madman. 
And, indeed, without a strong conviction, and a lively impres- 
sion of the infinite power and intelligence of God, the mind 
cannot rely with unshaken confidence on the declaration of a 
future fact so widely different from all the obvious phenomena 
of nature, and from every thing that lies within the range of 
human experience. " If a man die," says Job, " shall he live 
again ? There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will 
sprout again, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man 
dieth and wasteth away ; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and 
where is he ?" When the mind, however, is frequently exer- 
cised in contemplations on the stupendous works of the Al- 
mighty, it must feel an impressive conviction, that " nothing 
can be too hard for Jehovah." When we endeavor to draw 
aside the veil which conceals many of the scenes of nature 
from the vulgar eye, we perceive a variety of operations and 
analogies, which tend to assist us in forming a conception, not 
only of the possibility of a resurrection, but also of the manner 
in which it may probably be effected, when the power of Om- 
nipotence is interposed. 

The transformations of insects afford us a beautiful illustra- 
tion of this subject. All the butterflies which we see flutter- 
ing about in the summer months, were originally caterpillars. 
Before they arrive at that highest stage of their existence, they 
pass through four different transformations. The first state 
of a butterfly is that of an egg ; it next assumes, the form of a 
loathsome crawling worm; after remaining some time in this 
state, it throws off its caterpillar skin ; languishes ; refuses to 
eat ; ceases to move ; and is shut up, as it were, in a tomb. 
In this state, the animal is termed a chrysalis ; it is covered 
with a thin crust or shell, and remains, sometimes for six or 
eight months, without motion, and apparently without life. 
After remaining its allotted time in this torpid condition, it be- 
gins to acquire new life and vigor ; it bursts its imprisonment, 
and comes forth a butterfly, with wings tinged with the most 
beautiful colors. It mounts the air ; it ranges from flower to 
flower, and seems to rejoice in its new and splendid existence. 
How very different does it appear in this state from what it did 
in the proceding stages of its existence ! How unlikely did it 
seem that a rough, hairy, crawling worm, which lay for such a 
length of time in a death-like torpor, and enshrouded in a tomb, 
should be re-animated, as it were, and changed into so beau- 
tiful a form, and endued with such powers of rapid motion ! 



284 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

Perhaps the change to be effected on the bodies of men, at the 
general resurrection, may not be greater, nor more wonderful 
in its nature, than are the changes which take place from the 
first to the last stage of a caterpillar's existence- In such 
transformations, then, we behold a lively representation of the 
death and resurrection of a righteous man. " A little while 
he shall lie in the ground, as the seed lies in the bosom of the 
earth ; but he shall be raised again, and shall never die any 
more." 

There is another illustration, taken from a consideration of 
the chemical changes of matter, which has a still more direct 
bearing on the doctrine of a resurrection. We know, that 
substances which are invisibly incorporated with air, water, 
and other fluids, and which seem to be destroyed, may be 
made to re-appear in their original form by the application of 
certain chemical re-agents. For example ; put a small piece 
of solid camphor into a phial hal£-filled with alcohol or spirits 
of wine ; in a short time the camphor will be dissolved in the 
fluid, and the spirit will be as transparent as at first. If water 
be now added, it will unite with the ardent spirit, and the cam- 
phor will be separated and fall to the bottom of the phial. In 
this way the camphor may be nearly all recovered as at 
first ; and, by distillation, the alcohol may also be separated 
from the water, and exhibited in a separate state. I have 
already noticed, that Carbon, which forms an essential part of 
all animal and vegetable substances, is found to be not only 
indestructible by age, but in all its combinations, which are 
infinitely diversified, it still preserves its identity. In the state 
of carbonic acid it exists in union with earths and stones in 
unbounded quantities ; and though buried for thousands of 
years beneath immense rocks, or in the centre of mountains, 
it is still carbonic acid ; for no sooner is it disengaged from 
its dormity than it rises with all the life and vigor of recent 
formation, not in the least impaired by its torpid inactivity dur- 
ing a lapse of ages. The beams of the theatre at Hercula- 
neum were converted into charcoal (which is one of the 
compounds of Carbon) by the lava which overflowed that city, 
during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius ; and during the lapse of 
1700 years, the charcoal has remained as entire as if it had 
been formed but yesterday, and it will probably continue so to 
the end of the world. In addition to these facts it may be 
stated, that provision has been made for the restoration of the 
fallen leaves of vegetables which rot upon the ground, and, to 
a careless observer, would appear to be lost forever. It has 
been shown by experiment, that whenever the soil becomes 



GENERAL CONFLAGRATION. 285 

charged with such matter, the oxygen of the atmosphere 
combines with it, and converts it into carbonic acid gas 
The consequence of which is, that this very same carbon is, in 
process of time, absorbed by a new race of vegetables, which 
it clothes with a new foliage, and which is itself destined to 
undergo similar putrefaction and renovation to the end of 
time."* 

These facts, and others of a similar description which 
might have been stated, demonstrate, that one of the con- 
stituent parts of animal bodfes remains unalterably the same, 
amidst all the revolutions of time, and all the changes and 
decompositions which take place in the system of nature ; 
and, consequently, that though human bodies may remain in a 
state of putrefaction for ages, in the earth and in the waters, 
yet their component parts remain unchanged, and in readiness 
to enter into a new and more glorious combination, at the 
command of that Intelligence to whom all the principles of 
nature and all their diversified changes are intimately known ; 
and whose Power is able to direct their combinations to the 
accomplishment of his purposes.- — Though such considera- 
tions as these may have no weight on certain unreflecting 
minds, that never meet with any difficulties in the economy 
either of Nature or of Redemption ; jet, the man of deep re- 
flection, who has frequently had his mind distracted with the 
apparent improbability of the accomplishment of certain Di- 
vine Declarations, will joyfully embrace such facts in the 
economy of nature, as a sensible support to his faith in the 
promises of his God ; and will resign his body to dust and 
putrefaction, m the firm hope of emerging from the tomb to a 
future and more glorious transformation. 

IV. The discoveries of Science tend to illustrate the doctrine 
of the General Conflagration. 

We are informed, in the Sacred Oracles, that a period is 
approaching, when " the elements shall melt with fervent 
heat, and the earth, and the works that are therein, shall be 
burned up." Science has ascertained certain facts in the con- 
stitution of nature, which lead us to form some conception of 
the manner in which this awful catastrophe may probably be 
effected, and also of the ease with which it may be accom- 
plished, when the destined period shall have arrived. It was 
formerly stated, (pp. 73, 223,) that the atmosphere, or the air 
we breathe, is a compound substance, composed of two very 

* Parkes' " Chem. Catechism," p. 266, and the additional notes. 



286 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER 

different and opposite principles, termed oxygen and nitrogen. 
The oxygen, which forms about a fifth part of the atmosphere, 
is now ascertained to be the principle of flame ; a lighted 
taper immersed in this gas, burns with a brilliancy too great 
for the eye to bear ; and even a rod of iron or steel is made to 
blaze under its energy. 

The modem infidel, like the scoffers of old, scouts the idea 
of the dissolution of the world, and of the restitution of the 
universe, " because all things continue as they were from the 
beginning of the creation ; not knowing the Scriptures, nor the 
power of God ;" and not considering the principles and facts 
in the system of nature, which indicate the possibility of such 
an event. But, from the fact now stated, we may learn, how 
easily this effect may be accomplished, even in conformity 
with those laws which now operate in the constitution of our 
globe. For should the Creator issue forth his Almighty Fiat 
— " Let the nitrogen of the atmosphere be completely sepa- 
rated from the oxygen, and let the oxygen exert its native 
energies without control, wherever it extends ;" — from what 
we know of its nature, we are warranted to conclude, that in- 
stantly a universal conflagration would commence throughout 
all the kingdoms of nature — not only wood, coals, sulphur, 
bitumen, and other combustible substances, but even the 
hardest rocks and stones, and all the metals, fossils, and 
minerals, and water itself, which is a compound of two inflam- 
mable substances, would blaze with a rapidity which would 
carry destruction through the whole expanse of the terra- 
queous globe, and change its present aspect into that of a new 
world : — at the same time, all the other laws of nature might 
still operate as they have hitherto done since the creation of 
the world. 

I do not mean positively to assert* that this is the agent 
which the Almighty will certainly employ for accomplishing 
this terrible catastrophe, (though we think it highly probable,) 
since Infinite Power is possessed of numerous resources for 
accomplishing its objects, which lie beyond the sphere of our 
knowledge and comprehension. But I have brought forward 
this fact, to show with what infinite ease this event may be ac- 
complished, when Almighty Power is interposed. By means 
cf the knowledge we have acquired of the constitution of the 
atmosphere, and by the aid of chemical apparatus, we can 
perform experiments on a small scale, similar in kind, though 
infinitely inferior in degree, to the awful event under consider- 
ation. And, therefore, we can easily conceive that He who 
formed the expansive atmosphere which surrounds us, and 



GENERAL CONFLAGRATION. 287 

who knows the native energy of its constituent principles, 
may, by a simple volition, make that invisible fluid, in a few 
moments, the cause of the destruction of the present constitu- 
tion of our world, and, at the same time, the means of its 
subsequent renovation. For as fire does not annihilate, but 
only changes the forms of matter, this globe on which we 
now tread, and which bears the marks of ruin and disruption 
in several parts of its structure, may come forth from the 
flames of the general conflagration, purified from all its physi- 
cal evils, adorned with new beauties and sublimities, and 
rendered a fit habitation for pure intelligences, either of our 
own species or of another order. For, though the " heavens," 
or the atmosphere, " shall be dissolved, and the elements 
melt with fervent heat ;" " yet," says the Apostle Peter, 
" we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a 
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Whether, after 
being thus renovated, it shall be allotted as the residence of the 
redeemed inhabitants of our world, is beyond our province at 
present to determine. But if not, it will, in all probability, be 
allotted as the abode of other rational beings, who may be 
transported from other regions, to contemplate a new province 
of the Divine empire, or who may be immediately created for 
the purpose of taking possession of this renovated world. For 
we have reason to believe, that the energies of Creating 
Power will be continually exerted, in replenishing the bound- 
less universe, throughout all the ages of infinite duration, and 
that no substances, or worlds which God has created, will ever 
be suffered to fall into annihilation — at least, that the original 
atoms of matter will never be destroyed, whatever new forms 
they may assume, and however varied the combinations into 
which they may enter. 

The above are only a few examples out of many which 
were intended to be specified, of the illustrations which the 
system of nature affords of the doctrines and facts of Revela- 
tion* but the narrow limits of this volume prevent further 
enlargement. 

It was also intended to follow up the preceding discussions 
with particular illustrations of the following topics : — The 
views which science affords of the incessant energies of 
Creating Power — the changes and revolutions which appear 
to have happened, and which are still going on in the distant 
regions of the universe, as tending to amplify our vieivs of the 
grand and multifarious objects over ivhich Divine Providence 
presides — the connection of science with a future state — the 
aids which the discoveries of science afford, in enabling us to 



288 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

form a conception of the scenes of future felicity — of the em- 
ployments of the heavenly inhabitants, and of their perpetual 
advances in knowledge and happiness, and in their views of the 
perfections of Deity — the moral relations of intelligent beings 
to their Creator, and to each other ; and the physical grounds 
or reasons of those moral laws which the Deity has promul- 
gated for regulating the conduct, and for promoting the har- 
mony and order of intelligent agents — illustrations of the 
allusions of the Sacred writers to the system of the material 
world — the simultaneous progress of science and religioii^ 
considered as an evidence of the connection of the one with 
the other — the moral effects of the study of science in connec- 
tion with religion — replies to objections and insinuations which 
have been thrown out against the idea of combining the dis- 
coveries of Science with the discoveries of revelation, &c* 
But, as illustrations of these, and various other topics con- 
nected with them, would occupy two or three hundred pages, 
they must, in the mean time, be postponed.* 

* A work, embracing illustrations of some of the topics here stated, is pre- 
paring for the press, under the title of " The Philosophy of Religion ;" or, an 
Illustration of the Moral Laws of the Universe, on the principles of Reason 
and Divine Revelation." In this work, an original, and, at the same time, 
a popular train of thought will be prosecuted, and the different topics 
will be enlivened with illustrative facts, borrowed from the scenery of 
nature and the moral history of mankind. 



CHAPTER V. 



BENEFICIAL EFFECTS WHICH MIGHT RESULT TO CHRISTIAN 

SOCIETY FROM CONNECTING THE DISCOVERIES OF 

SCIENCE WITH THE OBJECTS OF RELIGION. 

T. — The variety of topics ivhich would be introduced into 
Christian Instructions, by connecting them with the manifes- 
tations of Deity in the System of Nature, would have a 

TENDENCY TO ALLURE THE ATTENTION OF THE YOUNG 

to religious subjects, and to afford Menial Entertain- 
ment, and Moral Instruction to intelligent minds of every 
description. 

Novelty and variety appear to be essentially requisite in 
order to rouse the attention, not only of the more ignorant but 
even of the more intelligent class of mankind, and to excite 
them to make progress in the path of intellectual and moral 
improvement. The principle of curiosity, which appears at a 
very early period of life, and which variegated scenery and 
novel objects tend to stimulate and to gratify — so far from 
being checked and decried, in a religious point of view, as 
some have been disposed to do, ought to be encouraged and cul- 
tivated in the minds both of the old and of the young. As it is a 
principle which God himself has implanted in our natures, for 
wise and important purposes, it requires only to be chastened, 
and directed in a proper channel, in order to become one of 
the most powerful auxiliaries in the cause of religion, and ct 
intellectual improvement. To gratify this principle, and to 
increase its activity, the Creator has adorned our globe with a 
combination of beauties and sublimities, strewed in endless 
variety over all its different regions. The hills and dales, the 
mountains and plains ; the seas, the lakes, the rivers, the 
islands of every form and size which diversify the surface of 
the ocean : the bays, the gulfs, and peninsulas ; the forests, the 
groves, the deep dells, and towering eliffs ; the infinite variety 
of trees, plants, flowers, and vegetable productions of every 



290 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

hue, so profusely scattered over the face of Nature ; the diver- 
sified productions of the mineral kingdom ; the variegated color- 
ing spread over the face of nature ; together with the many 
thousands of different species of animated beings which tra- 
verse the air, the waters, and the earth — afford so many stimuli 
to rouse this principle into exercise; and to direct the mind to 
the contemplation of the Creator. And as the earth displays 
an endless diversity of objects, so the heavens, in so far as 
they have been explored, exhibit a scenery both grand and 
variegated. There is not a planet in the Solar System but 
differs from another, in its magnitude, in its distance from the 
central 1 jminary about which it revolves, in the velocity of its 
motion, in the extent of the circle it describes around the sun, 
in the period of time in which its revolution is completed, in 
its rotation round its axis, in the number of moons with which 
it is attended, in the inclination of its, axis to the, plane of its 
orbit, and the diversity of seasons which results from this cir- 
cumstance ; in the density of its atmosphere, and the various 
appearances which diversify its surface. And if we were 
favored with a nearer view of these majestic orbs, we should, 
doubtless, behold a similar variety in every part of their inter- 
nal arrangements. — The surface of the moon presents a varie- 
gated prospect of mountains and vales, but so very different 
in their form, position, and arrangement, from what obtains, 
on the surface of our globe, that it would exhibit a scenery 
altogether new and uncommon to an inhabitant of this world, 
were he placed on the surface of that planet. Every comet, 
too, is distinguished from another, by its magnitude, the extent 
of its atmosphere, the length of its blazing tail, the rapidity of 
its motion, and the figure of the curve it descrbes around the 
sun. "With regard to the fixed stars which are distributed, of 
every size, and in every direction, through the immensity of 
space, our senses, as well as the declaration of an inspired 
writer, convince us, that, in point of brilliancy, color, and mag- 
nitude, " one star differeth from another star in glory." 

And as the system of Nature in all its parts presents a 
boundless variety of scenery, to arouse the attention, and to 
gratify the desire for novelty, so the Revelation of God con- 
tained in the Sacred Records, displays a diversified combina- 
tion of the most sublime and interesting subjects and events. 
Were we to form an opinion of the compass of Divine Reve- 
lation, from the range of subjects to which the minds of some 
professing Christians are confined, it might all be compre- 
hended within the limits of five or six chapters of the New 
Testament ; and all the rest might be thrown aside, as a dead- 



VARIETY OF TOPICS IN RELIGION. 291 

weight upon the Christian System. But here, as in all the 
other displays of the Almighty, Divine Perfection and Provi- 
dence are exhibited in the most diversified aspects. Here we 
have recorded a history of the creation and arrangement of our 
globe, — of the formation of the first human pair, — of their 
primeval innocence, temptation and fall, — of the arts which 
were cultivated in the first ages of the world, — of the increase 
of human wickedness, — of the building of the ark, — of the 
drowning of the world by a universal deluge, — of the burning 
of Sodom by fire from the clouds, — of the origin of languages, 
— of the dividing of the Red Sea, — of the journeying of the 
tribes of Israel through the deserts of Arabia, — of their con- 
quest of the promised land, and their wars with the nations of 
Canaan, — of the corporeal translation of Elijah from earth to 
heaven, — of the manifestation of the Son of God in human 
flesh, the benevolent miracles he performed, and the triumphs 
he obtained over all the powers of hell and earth. We are 
here presented With the most interesting and affecting narra- 
tives, elegies, dramatic poems, and triumphal songs, — with 
views of society in the earliest ages of the world, when the 
lives of men were prolonged to nearly a thousand years, — with 
splendid miracles performed in the land of Egypt, in the wil- 
derness of Horeb, and in the " field of Zoan," when "the sUn 
and moon stood still in their habitation ;" when the waters of 
the great deep were divided, and mountains shook and trem- 
bled "at the presence of Jehovah," — with the glorious march- 
ing of a whole nation through the Arabian deserts, under the 
guidance of a miraculous pillar of clouds and fire,— with the 
visits of celestial messengers, and the visible symbols of " a 
present Deity," — with prophetical delineations of the present 
and future condition of the race of Adam, — with descriptions 
of the Power, Wisdom, Love, and Majesty of the Almighty, 
and of his operations in Heaven and Earth, — with the results 
and bearings of the Economy of Redemption, — with Divine 
Songs, Odes and Hymns, composed by angels and inspired 
men, — with maxims of moral wisdom, examples of sublime 
eloquence, of strength of reasoning, and of manly boldness of 
reproof, — with Proverbs, Parables, Allegories, Exhortations, 
Promises, Threatenings, and Consolatory addresses. In short, 
we have here detailed, in the greatest variety — History, Anti- 
quities, Voyages, Travels, Philosophy, Geography, Natural 
and Moral Science, Biography, Arts, Epic Poetry, Epistles, 
Memoirs, Delineations of Nature, Sketches of Human Cha- 
racter, Moral Precepts, Prophecies, Miracles, Narrations, 
Wonderful Providences, Marvellous Deliverances, the Phe- 



292 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

nomena of the Air, the Waters, and the Earth ; the Past, the 
Present, and the Future Scenes of the World — all blended 
together in one harmonious system, without artificial order, 
but with a majesty and grandeur corresponding to the style of 
all the other Works of God, — and all calculated to gratify the 
principle of curiosity — to convey " reproof, correction, and 
instruction, in righteousness," and " to make the Man of God 
perfect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work." 

And, as the scenes of Nature, and the scenes of Revela 
tion, are thus wonderfully diversified, in order to excite the 
attention of intelligent beings, and to gratify the desire for 
variety, so we have every reason to believe, that the scenes, 
objects, and dispensations, which will be be displayed in the 
heavenly world, will be incomparably more grand and diversi- 
fied. When we consider the immensity of God's Universal 
Kingdom, and the numerous systems, and worlds, and beings 
comprehended within its vast circumference, and that the ener- 
gies of Creating Power may be forever exerted in raising new 
worlds into existence — we may rest assured, that the desire of 
variety and of novelty, in holy intelligences, will be completely 
gratified throughout an endless succession of existence ; and 
that the most luxuriant imagination, in its boldest excursions, 
can never go beyond the reality of those scenes of diversified 
grandeur which the Heaven of heavens will display. 

Now, since the book of Nature, and the Book of Revela- 
tion, since all the manifestations of the Creator in heaven and 
earth are characterized by their sublime and diversified aspect ; 
we would ask, why should we not be imitators of God, in dis- 
playing the diversified grandeur of his kingdom of Providence 
and of Grace, before the minds of those whom we profess to 
instruct ? Why should we confine our views to a few points 
in the Christian system, to a few stones in the fabric of the 
Divine operations, when " a wide and unbounded prospect lies 
before us V 9 Why should we not rather attempt to rouse the 
moral and intellectual energies of mankind, from the pulpit, 
from the press, in the school-room, and in the family circle, by 
exhibiting the boundless variety of aspect which the Revela- 
tions of Heaven present, and the holy tendencies of devout 
contemplation on the Works and the Ways of God ? that they 
may learn, with intelligence, to " meditate on all the works of 
the Lord, and to talk of all his doings." — By enlarging and 
diversifying the topics of religious discussion, according to the 
views now stated, we have it in our power to spread out an 
intellectual feast to allure and to gratify every variety of taste, 
— the young and the old, the learned and the unlearned ; yea, 



AMPLITUDE OF THE DIVINE EMPIRE. 293 

even the careless and the ignorant, the sceptical and the dissi- 
pated, might frequently be allured by the selection of a judi- 
cious variety of striking and impressive objects and descrip- 
tions, to partake of those mental enjoyments which might 
ultimately issue in the happiest results. The man of an 
inquisitive turn of mind, who now throws aside every thing 
that has the appearance of religion, on account of its dulness, 
might have his curiosity gratified amidst such a variety as that 
to which I allude ; and, from perceiving the bearing of every 
discussion on the great realities of religion and a future state, 
might be led to more serious inquiries after the path that leads 
to immortality. In a word, to associate and to amalgamate, 
as it were, the arts and sciences, and every department of 
useful knowledge, with divine subjects, is to consecrate them 
to their original and legitimate ends, and to present religion to 
the eyes of men, in its most sublime, and comprehensive, and 
attractive form, corresponding to what appears to be the 
design of the Creator, in all the manifestations he has given 
of himself, in the System of Nature, in the Operations of 
Providence, and in the Economy of Redemption. 

II. — By connecting Science with Religion, Christians would 
be enabled to take an extensive survey of the king- 
dom of God. 

How very narrow and limited are the views of most profes- 
sors of religion respecting the universal Kingdom of Jehovah, 
and the range of his operations ! The views of some indivi- 
duals are confined chiefly within the limits of their own 
parish, or at farthest, extend only to the blue mountains that 
skirt their horizon, and form the boundary of their sight. 
Within this narrow circle, all their ideas of God, of religion, 
and of the relations of intelligent beings to each other, are 
chiefly confined. There are others, who form an extensive 
class of our population, whose ideas are confined nearly to 
to the county in which they reside, and to the adjacent dis- 
tricts ; and there are few, comparatively, whose views extend 
beyond the confines of the kingdom to which they belong — 
though the whole island in which we reside is less than the 
two thousandth part of the globe we inhabit. Of the vast 
extent of this earthly ball, of its figures and motions, of its 
continents, seas, islands, and oceans ; of its volcanoes and 
ranges of mountains, of its numerous and diversified climates 
and landscapes ; of the various nations and tribes of mankind 
that people its surface, and of the moral government of God 
respecting them, — they are almost as completely ignorant as 

25 



294 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

the untutored Greenlander, or the roving savage. — With 
regard to the objects which lie beyond the boundary of our 
world, they have no precise and definite conceptions. When 
the moon is " walking in brightness" through the heavens, 
they take the advantage of her light to prosecute their jour- 
neys ; and, when the sky is overcast with clouds, and they 
are anxious to travel a few miles to their destined homes, they 
will lift up their eyes to the heavens to see if any of the stars 
are twinkling through the gloom, that their footsteps may be 
directed by their glimmering rays. Beyond this they seldom 
soar. What may be the nature of the vast assemblage of 
shining points which adorn the canopy of their habitation, and 
the ends they are destined to accomplish in the plan of the 
Creator's operations, they consider as no part of their pro- 
vince to inquire. 

" Their minds, fair Science never taught to stray 
Far as the Solar Worlds, or Milky Way." 

How very different, in point of variety, of grandeur, and ot 
extent, are the views of the man who connects all the different 
departments of knowledge, and the discoveries of science, 
with his prospects of God's Universal Dominion and Govern- 
ment ? With his mental eye he can traverse the different 
regions of the earth, and penetrate into the most distant and 
retired recesses where human beings have their residence. — 
He can contemplate and adore the conduct of Divine 
Sovereignty, in leaving so many nations to grope amidst the 
darkness of Heathen Idolatry, — he can trace the beams of 
the Sun of Righteousness, as they gradually arise to illume 
the benighted tribes of men, — he can direct his prayers, with 
intelligence and fervor, in behalf of particular kindreds and 
people, — he can devise with judgment and discrimination, 
schemes for carrying the " Salvation of God" into effect, — 
he can realize, in some measure, to his mental sight, the glo- 
rious and happy scenes which will be displayed in the future 
ages of time, when " the kingdoms of this world shall become 
the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ," and when the 
M everlasting gospel" shall be published, and its blessings 
distributed among all who dwell upon the face of the earth. — 
He can bound from this earth to the planetary worlds, and 
survey far more spacious globes, peopled with a higher order 
of intelligences, arranged and superintended by the same 
Almighty Sovereign, who " doth according to his will among 
the inhabitants of the earth." He can wing his way beyond 
the visible region of the sky, till he find himself surrounded on 
every hand with suns and systems of worlds, rising to view in 



AMPLITUDE OF THE DIVINE EMPIRE. 295 

boundless perspective, throughout the tracts of immensity — 
diversified with scenes of magnificence, and with beings of 
every order — all under the government and the wise direction 
of Him who " rules among the armies of heaven," and who 
" preserveth them all," and whom the " host of heaven wor- 
ship" and adore. He can soar beyond them all to the throne 
of God, where angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, 
celebrate the praises of their Sovereign Lord, and stand ready 
to announce his Will, by their rapid flight to the most distant 
provinces of his empire. He can descend from that lofty 
eminence to this terrestrial world, allotted for his temporary 
abode, and survey another unbounded province of the Empire 
of God, in those living worlds which lie hid from the unas- 
sisted sight, and which the microscope alone can descry. He 
can here perceive the same Hand arid Intelligence which 
direct the rolling worlds above, and marshal all the angelic 
tribes — organizing, arranging, and governing the countless 
myriads of animated existence which people the surface of a 
muddy pool. He can speed his course from one of these 
departments of Jehovah's kingdom to another, till, astonished 
and overwhelmed with the order, the grandeur, and extent of 
the wondrous scene, he is constrained to exclaim, " Great and 
marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty !" " Thine 
understanding is infinite !" The limits of thy dominions are 
" past finding out !" 

By taking such extensive surveys of the empire of Jehovah, 
we are enabled to perceive the spirit and references of those 
sublime passages in the sacred writings which proclaim the 
Majesty of God, and the glory of his Kingdom. Such pas- 
sages are diffusely scattered through the inspired volume, and 
have evidently an extent of reference far beyond what is 
generally conceived by the great mass of the Christian world* 
The following may suffice as a specimen : — 

" Thine, Lord ! is the greatness, and the glory, and the 
majesty ; for all in heaven and earth is thine ! Thine is the 
kingdom, Lord ! Thou art exalted above all, thou reignest 
over all, and in thine hand is Power and Might. — Behold the 
heaven, and the Heaven of heavens, is the Lord's ; the earth 
also, with all that therein is. — Ascribe ye greatness to our 
God; for there is none like unto the God of Israel, who 
rideth upon the heavens in his strength, and in his excellency 
on the sky. Thou, even thou art Lord alone ; thou hast 
made heaven, the Heaven of heavens, with all their host ; the 
earth, and all things that are therein ; the seas, and all that is 
therein ; and thou preservest them all, and the Host of Heaven 



296 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

worshippeth thee. — He divideth the sea by his Power ; by his 
Spirit he hath garnished the heavens : Lo ! these are only 
parts of his ways ; but how little a portion is heard of him, 
and the thunder of his Power who can understand ? — The 
Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens, and his king- 
dom ruleth over all.— Lord our God ! how excellent is thy 
name in all the earth ! who hast set thy glory above the 
heavens. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy 
fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained ; 
what is man, that thou art mindful of him !- — His Kingdom is 
an everlasting Kingdom ; Honor and Majesty are before him ; 
all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing in his 
sight, and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven, 
and among the inhabitants of the earth. — He measures the 
waters in the hollow of his hand ; He meteth out heaven with 
a span, and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure. 
— He sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants 
thereof are as grasshoppers. — I have made the earth, and 
created man upon it ; I, even my hands, have stretched out 
the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. — The Most 
High dwell eth not in temples made with hands ; for the heaven 
is his throne, and the earth is his footstool. — With God is 
awful Majesty.— Great things doth He, which we cannot 
comprehend ; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. — Praise 
ye the Lord in the Heavens ; praise him in the heights ; 
praise him all his angels ; praise ye him all his hosts. Praise 
him sun and moon ; praise him all ye stars of light ; praise 
him ye Heaven of heavens. Praise him ye kings of the earth, 
and all people, princes, and judges of the earth ; both young 
men and maidens ; old men and children — let them praise the 
name of the Lord ; for his name alone is excellent, his glory 
is above the earth and heaven." 

These sublime descriptions of the Supremacy of God, and 
of the Grandeur of his kingdom, must convince every reflect- 
ing mind, of the inconceivable magnificence and extent ot 
that Dominion " which ruleth over all." It is quite evident, 
that we can never enter, with intelligence, into the full import, 
and the grand references of such exalted language employed 
by inspired writers, unless we take into view, all the disco- 
veries which Science has made, both in the earth, and in the 
heavens, respecting the variety and extent of the Dominions 
of the Creator. If the " Kingdom of the Most High" were 
as limited in its range as most Christians seem to conceive, 
such descriptions might be considered as mere hyperboles, or 
bombast, or extravagant declamation* which far exceeds the 



AMPLITUDE OF THE DIVINE EMPIRE. 297 

bounds of " truth and soberness." But we are certain, that 
the conceptions and the language of mortals can never go 
beyond the reality of what actually exists within the boundless 
precincts of Jehovah's Empire. For " who can utter the 
mighty acts of the Lord ?" or " who can show forth all his 
praise ?" The language and descriptions to which we have 
now adverted, seem to have had a prospective reference to 
later and more enlightened times, when more extensive pro- 
spects of God's dominions would be opened up by the exer- 
tions of the human intellect. And were we to search all the 
records of literature* in ancient or modern times, we should 
find no descriptions nor language of such a dignified nature 
as to express the views and feelings of an enlightened Chris- 
tian Philosopher, when he contemplates the sublimity and 
extent of Divine operations — except those which are to be 
found in the inspired volume — the strength, and majesty, and 
comprehension of which, no human language can ever exceed. 
Again, by familiarizing our minds to such extended pro- 
spects of God's universal kingdom, we shall be qualified and 
disposed to comply with the injunctions of Scripture, which 
represent it as an imperious duty, to communicate to the minds 
of others such elevated conceptions. This duty is enjoined in 
numerous passages of Sacred Scripture,, particularly in the 
book of Psalms : " Declare his glory among the heathen, 
and his wonders among all people. — I will extol thee, my 
God, King. — One generation shall praise thy works to 
another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. — I will speak of 
the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. 
— And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts ; and 
shall declare thy greatness. . All thy works shall praise thee, 
Lord ; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak 
of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power ; to make 
known to the sons of men thy mighty acts, and the glorious 
majesty of thy kingdom."* When we look around us in the 
world, and in the visible church, and mark the conceptions, 
and the conversation of the members of religious societies, 
we need scarcely say how little this ennobling duty is attended 
to by the mass of those who bear the Christian name. We 
hear abundance of idle chat about the fashions and the poli- 
tics of the day— how Miss A. danced so gracefully at the 
ball, and how Miss B. sung so sweetly at the concert ; how 
Mr. C. acted his part so well in the character of Rob Roy, 
and how Mr. D. made such a flaming speech at the corpora- 

* Psalm cxlv. and xcvi. 3, 4. 
25* 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER, 

tion dinner. We listen to slanderous conversation, and hear 
abundance of mean, and base, and uncharitable insinuations 
against our neighbors ; which indicate the operation of malice, 
hatred, envy, and other malevolent tempers. We spend whole 
hours in boisterous disputations about metaphysical subtleties 
in religion, and questions " which gender strife rather than 
godly edifying ;" but " to speak of the glory of God's king- 
dom, and to talk of his Power," with the view of " making 
known to the sons of men his mighty works," is a duty 
which remains yet to be learned by a majority of those who 
profess the religion of Jesus. And how can they be sup- 
posed to be qualified to enter into the spirit of this duty, and 
to proclaim to others " the glorious majesty of God's king- 
dom," unless such subjects be illustrated in minute detail, 
and proclaimed with becoming energy, both from the pulpit, 
and from the press ? These powerful engines, when con- 
ducted with judgment and discrimination, are capable of pro- 
ducing on the mass of mankind, a tone of thinking, and an 
enlargement of conception, on such subjects, which no other 
means can easily effect ; and it is to be hoped, that more 
precise and luminous details, and more vigor and animation, 
will soon be displayed, in this respect, than in the ages that 
are past. 

There is a certain principle of selfishness which pervades 
the minds of many professed religionists, which leads them 
to conclude, that* if they can but secure their own personal 
salvation, they need give themselves no trouble about the 
glory and extent of the kingdom of the Most High. " What 
need we care*" say they, " about nations in the far-distant 
parts of the world, and about the planets and the stars ; our 
business is to attend to the spiritual interests of our souls." 
Such persons seem neither to understand in what salvation 
really consists, and what is conducive to their spiritual inte- 
rests, nor to appreciate those tempers and habits which will 
qualify them for the enjoyment of eternal life. It forms but 
a very slender evidence of their possessing any spark of 
Christianity at all, if they wish to rest satisfied with the most 
vague and grovelling conceptions, and if they do not ardently 
aspire after a more enlarged view of the attributes of God, of 
the glory of his empire, and of whatever may tend to expand 
their conceptions of " the inheritance of the saints in light." 
We have often been astonished at the opinions of some of 
those who move in a higher sphere of intelligence, who seem 
to consider it as a matter of pure indifference, whether or not 
Christians should attain to the highest conception in their 



AMPLITUDE OF THE DIVINE EMPIRE. 299 

power of the God whom they worship, and of his boundless 
dominions ; because they conceive that such views are not 
essentially connected with salvation ! But we would ask 
such persons, how they came to know that such views are not 
connected with" salvation ? Though they may not have been 
essential to the salvation of men in the dark ages that are 
past, or to obscure tribes of people at present, who have no 
access to the proper sources of information, yet, since God, 
in the course of his Providence, which guides all human in- 
ventions and discoveries, has disclosed to us a far more ex- 
pansive view of the " glory of his kingdom," than former 
ages could obtain, for the purpose of illustrating the revela- 
tions of his word — who will dare to assert, that the man who 
has access, by his studious efforts, to contemplate this won- 
drous scene, and to display its grandeur to others, and yel 
wilfully shuts his eyes on the Divine glory therein displayed, 
does not thereby hazard the Divine displeasure 1 In this 
point of view, the following passage deserves a serious con- 
sideration : " Because they regard not the works of the Lord, 
nor the operations of his hands, he shall destroy them, and 
not build them up." We have no hesitation in admitting, that 
persons may have obtained salvation who never saw more of 
the sacred writings than what is contained in the gospel of 
Mark, or in one of PauPs Epistles ; but what would we say 
of the man who had access to all the Revelations of Heaven 
we now possess, and yet confined his attention solely to a 
chapter or two in the New Testament, and would not deign 
to look into any other part of the inspired volume ? We 
should not hesitate at once to pronounce that such a person 
was grossly deficient in his duty, and devoid of that reverence 
and submission which are due to the oracles of God. And, 
if it be admitted, that the person who has access to the Bible 
and who refuses to peruse its important contents, is guilty of 
a criminal neglect, we do not see how the man, who has free 
access to the other volume of God's revelation, and views it 
as a matter of mere indifference, whether he looks into it 01 
not, can be deemed, in this respect, entirely innocent. If it 
be understood, that we shall be judged according to the light 
and privileges we enjoy, and the use we make of them, in our 
improvement in the knowledge of God — we would deem it a 
hazardous position, for any one to support, That " inattention 
to the visible glories of the kingdom of God, and to the 
4 declaration of his wonders among the people,' is a matter 
either of indifference, or of trivial importance." 

For, let it be considered, further — that on the extenttof owr 



300 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

views respecting the universal kingdom of God, depends om 
conceptions of the Majesty and Glory of the Creator himself 
We become acquainted with the nature of God, only in so far 
as he has manifested himself to us by external operations,* 
and in so far as we form just conceptions of these operations. 
If we conceive his empire as included within the bounds of 
eighty or ninety thousand miles, our conceptions of the Sover- 
eign of that empire will be circumscribed within nearly the 
same limits. The mind of every reasonable man must, in- 
deed, admit the abstract proposition, " That the Divine Being 
is infinite, and, consequently, fills all space with his presence." 
But this infinity in our view, is nothing more than a vague 
conception of empty space, extending a little w ay beyond the 
sphere of his visible operations. The mind must have some 
material, visible or tangible objects to rest upon, and to guide 
it in its excursions, when it would attempt to form the most de- 
finite and comprehensive conceptions of an Infinite, Eternal, 
and Invisible Existence. For however much we may talk 
about purely spiritual ideas, it is quite evident, from the nature 
of things, and from the very constitution of man, that we can 
have no ideas at all without the intervention of sensible objects. 
And, therefore, if we would wish to form the most sublime 
conceptions of God himself, we must endeavor, in the first 
place, to take the most extensive views which science and rev- 
elation exhibit, of his vast dominions. We must endeavor to 
form some adequate idea of the wide extent of the globe on 
which we dwell, its diversified scenery, and the numerous 
tribes of human beings, and other animated existences, visible 
and invisible, which people its different provinces. We must 
explore the vast regions of the planetary system, and compare 
the bulk of the earth, large as it is, with some of those more 
magnificent globes, which would contain a thousand worlds as 
large as ours. We must next wing our way, in imagination, 
over a space which a cannon-ball, flying five hundred miles 
every hour, would not traverse in ten hundred thousand years, 
till we arrive at the nearest fixed stars, and find ourselves in 
the centre of thousands of systems and worlds, arranged at im- 
measurable distances from one another. We must pass from 
one nebula, or cluster of systems, to another ; continuing our 
excursions as far as the eye or the telescope can direct our 
view ; and, when the aid of artificial instruments begins to fail, 
our imagination must still take its flight far beyond the boun- 
daries of mortal vision, and add system to system, and nebula 

* Here I include the manifestations of Deity, as exhibited both in Di- 
vine Revelation, and in the System of Nature. 



AMPLITUDE OF THE DIVINE EMPIRE. 301 

to nebula, through the boundless regions of space, till we 
arrive at the grand centre of the universe, the Throne of God, 
around which all worlds and beings revolve, where " thousands 
thousands" of bright intelligences " minister to Him, and ten 
thousand times ten thousand stand before him." — We must 
consider all this magnificent assemblage of objects, not merely 
as so many masses of inert matter, or as a grand raree-show, 
to dazzle the eyes of a few hundreds of human spectators, — 
but as destined for purposes worthy of the plans and the intel- 
ligence of Him who is " the only wise God," — as peopled 
with numerous orders of intelligent beings, whose physical and 
moral economy is superintended and directed by Him, who, at 
the same time, rules amidst the tumults of human revolutions, 
and governs the living myriads which people a drop of water. 
In this way, then, do we come to acquire the most extensive 
views of the amolitude and glory of the Kingdom of the Most 
High ; and it is only by the same process of thought that we 
can ever attain the most exalted conceptions of the attributes 
of its almighty Sovereign. For our views of the Sovereign of 
the universe must always correspond with our views of the ex- 
tent and magnificence of those dominions which sprung from 
his Creating Hand, and over which he every moment presides. 
His essence must for ever remain imperceptible to finite 
minds ; for he is " the King Eternal, immortal, and Invisible, 
dwelling in that Light which no man can approach unto, whom 
no man hath seen, or can see." From his nature, as a spiritual 
uncompounded substance, and from his immensity, as filling 
infinite space with his presence, it appears impossible, in the 
very nature of things, that the glory of his perfections can be 
displayed in any other way than through the medium of the 
visible operations of his hands, or in the dispensations of his 
providence towards particular worlds or classes of intelli- 
gences. And if, in the future world, the souls of good men 
will enjoy a more glorious display than at present, of the at- 
tributes of Deity, it will be owing chiefly to their being placed 
in more favorable circumstances than they now are, for con- 
templating this display ; to their faculties being more invigo- 
rated ; and every physical and moral impediment to their 
exercise being completely removed ; so as to enable them to 
perceive more clearly than they now do, the unbounded dis- 
plays he has given of his infinite Power, Wisdom, and Benevo- 
lence. And, if we expect to be introduced to this state of 
enlarged vision, when we pass from the scenes of mortality, it 
cannot be a matter of mere indifference, even now, whether or 
not our minds be prepared for such exalted employments* by 



302 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

endeavoring to form the most ample conceptions of the attri- 
butes of God which can be obtained through the medium of 
his Word, and by a contemplation of the variety and magnifi- 
cence of his Works. — In the prospect of that world where we 
hope to spend an interminable existence, it must also be inter- 
esting to ascertain, whether or not the dominions of the univer- 
sal Sovereign present such an extent of empire, and such a 
variety of objects, that new scenes of wonder and glory may 
be expected to be displayed in continual succession, for the 
contemplation and entertainment of holy beings, while eternal 
ages are rolling on. And, on this point, the discoveries of 
science confirm and illustrate the notices of heavenly glory and 
felicity recorded in the inspired volume, and lead us to rest with 
full assurance on the prophetic declaration, that " eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man 
to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that 
love him." 

III. — By connecting the discoveries of Science with Religion, 
the minds of Christians would be enabled to take a more 
minute and comprehensive survey of the Operations of 
Providence. 

Providence is that superintendence and care which God ex- 
ercises over all creatures and events, in order to accomplish 
the eternal purposes of his will. In Creation, God brought 
the universe out of nothing, and arranged all its provinces and 
inhabitants into due order. By his Providence he supports 
and governs all the movements of the material system, and the 
sensitive and rational beings with which it is peopled. It is 
evident, that, in proportion as our views of the Creator's Do- 
minions are extended, our views of his Providence will, to a 
certain extent, be proportionably enlarged. For wherever 
worlds and beings exist, there will God be found, preserving 
superintending, and governing the movements of all creatures 
and events. It is chiefly, however, in the world in which we 
reside, that the diversified dispensations of Providence can be 
distinctly traced. Now an acquaintance with the prominent 
parts of the different branches of knowledge to which I have 
already adverted, would enable us to take a particular and com- 
prehensive view, not only of the ways of God to man, but also 
of his arrangements in reference to all subordinate creatures 
and events. 

From the Inspired History of the Old Testament, we can 
trace the prominent lines of the dispensations of God towards 
man, particularly in regard to the Israelites and the surround- 



RANGE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 803 

mg nations — from the Creation to a period about 400 years 
before the coming of Christ. But in order to perceive the 
farther progress and bearings of these lines till the commence- 
ment of the New Testament economy, we must have recourse 
to the most authentic records of profane history. From the 
era of the birth of Christ to near the close of the first century, 
we can acquire, from the Evangelists, and the History of the 
Apostles, a particular account of the life of Christ, of the 
events which preceded and accompanied the finishing of the 
work of redemption, and of the progress of the Gospel 
through Judea and the adjacent countries. But after this 
period we have no inspired guide to direct us in tracing the 
Divine Dispensations towards the various nations of the 
earth; and, therefore, we must have recourse to the annals, 
memoirs, chronicles, and other records of the history of 
nations, down to the period in which we live ; otherwise we 
could never contemplate the continued series of events in the 
Divine Economy towards the inhabitants of our world. Un- 
less men of learning and of observation had recorded the 
prominent facts which have occurred in the history of nations, 
for 1700 years past, we must have remained almost as igno- 
rant of the dispensations of God towards our race, during 
that period, as the inhabitants of the planet Saturn : and unless 
we study the events thus recorded in the writings of the histo- 
rian, and contemplate their varied aspects and bearings in the 
light of Divine Revelation, we must still remain ignorant of 
the grand movements and tendencies of Divine Providence. 
This single circumstance shows, in the clearest light, that it 
is the intention of God, that we should learn the operations of 
his Providence from the researches of Science and of History, 
as well as from the records of Revelation ; and that the 
Scriptures, though they contain every supernatural discovery 
requisite to our happiness, are not of themselves sufficient 
to present us w T ith a connected view of the prominent dispensa- 
tions of heaven, from the Creation to the period in which we live. 
From the science of Geography we acquire a knowledge of 
the extent of the surface of the earth — of the various tribes 
of human inhabitants with which it is peopled — of the physi- 
cal aspect of the different climates they inhabit — of their arts, 
manners, customs, laws, religion, vices, wars, and political 
economy : and, consequently, we can, in these and similar 
respects, trace some of the aspects of Divine Providence to- 
wards them in relation to their present and future condition. 
From the same source, we learn the number of human beings 
which the Governor of the world has under his direction at 



SOI THE CnHISTl LH raiLOSOFRUt 

oho time, which is nearly i thousand millions, or five aundred 

tunes the numbor of the inhabitants of Scotland. From the 
data afforded by this science, we may also form an estimate 
of the number oi disembodied spirits that have passed from 
this world since the Creation, and are now under the superin- 
tendence oi the Almighty in the invisible state, which cannot 
be much less than 145,000 millions : and on similar grounds 
we may also learn the number oi rational beings that are 
coming forward into existence, and passing into the eternal 
world every day, which is at least 6S, 000, and, consequently, 
nearly 50 during each passing minute, — every individual o( 
which, the Supreme Disposer oi events superintends at his 
entrance into life : and, at his departure from it, directs to his 
respective and eternal state oi destination. All which cir- 
cumstances, and many others of a similar kind, must be taken 
into account, in order to our forming a comprehensive con- 
ception oi the numerous bearings, and the incessant igCilM/ 

oi a Superintending Providence. 

From *> / story we learn the immense number and 

variety o{ the subordinate tribes oi animated beings which 
inhabit the different regions o( earth, air, and sea — their eco- 
nomy and instincts — their modes oi existence, and the man- 
ner in which the Creator provides for their various necessities. 
— From an acquaintance with the History of the .irts and 
•V< re/ia .. i y, we learn the gradual manner in which 

(.rod directs the movements oi the human mind, in making 
those improvements and discoveries which have a bearing 
upon the accomplishment of his eternal plans o( mercy, and 
which tend to enlarge our views oi the amplitude and the 
glories oi his kingdom. From Natural Philosophy and Che- 
mistry, we learn the secondary causes or subordinate laws bv 
which the Almighty supports and directs the natural constitu- 
tion oi the world — the wonderful manner in which our lives 
are every moment supported — and the agencies by which tire, 
air, light, heat, and fertility are distributed through the globe, 
for promoting the comfort and happiness M of every thing that 
lives." — From Anatomy and Physiology, we learn, how u fear- 
fully and wonderfully we are made and preserved" — thai our 
health and comfort depend upon the regular action of a thou- 
sand organical parts and functions, over which we have no 
control — and that our very existence every moment is depen- 
dant on the superintendence oi a Superior Power, M in whose 
Hand our breath is, and whose are all our wa^s." 

By an occasional study, then, o( the subjects to which we 
have now alluded, we would gradually expand our eoncep- 



RAMa of Diriiii n&wnmwL 305 

tions of the r^rjr- rr * Mid operation* of Divine Providence. 
Every geographical exploration of i new region of the globe 
— every improvement and discovery — <;\(,ry useful 

invention — every eruption of a volcano — every shock of an 
earthquake — every hurricane, and storm) sad tempest — every 
battle of the irarrior — every revolution among the nationi — 
and every detail in the ire daily read) irould lead 

Of to form some conception* of the providential purposes of 
Ifirrj whofc the Supreme I Even the 

arran of Divine Wisdom, rd to the economy 

of the lower anii ght not to be in snch a 

survey* I intense number and rariety 

of animated beings — that there f quadrupeds, 

every sjx otatning, many millions of indivi- 

duals; 4000 species of birds \ 2500 « fishes; 700 

of reptiles ; and 4 4,000 different kinds of insects! 
thousand -Je to the 

una- ght — whe msider that ... ctore and 

organization of all these differs -liferent from 

each other, and exact.-, stions and 

mod- and that then multifarious irants, in 

A and habitation, are all pre r, and amply 

supplied by Him, who. at the same time, ^rr- 
(be affairs of ten thousand woi \ ho lost 

ishmc rhich formed 

them, and at the exntx >untywhfc 

full a table for so immense an assemblage of li 
And were Dried to other worl oubt- 

behold still more ample di 
We are hen ed with a inch 

d Volume es of all 

look their meat m 

due season. Thou openest thy hand liberally, and satisfies! 
the i / living thing. II of thy 

riches, O Lord ! a are 

things ag innumerable, both great ta. — 

and thou \ lem their meat in 

duo sea-on. That which thou gtvest thorn tr. r j Thou 

Openest thy hand, they arc filled with good* 91 — M O Lord, thou 
preservest man and hoasi ! Hon excellent is thy loving-kind- 
fbre the children of men shall put their trust under 
the shadow of thy wings : They shall be abundantly satisfied 
with the fatness of thy house,*'*- 'of the table thou hast spread 

* This, and several other similar passages, may be considered as more 
especially applicable to the bounty of | dc which God has provided 

26 



805 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

in thy world for all thine offspring,) u and thou shalt make them 
drink of the river of thy pleasures." One excellent practical 
effect which might flow from such contemplations would be, to 
inspire us with feelings of humanity towards the inferior ordei 
of animals, and to prevent us from wantonly and unnecessarily 
torturing, or depriving them of existence. For since the 
Creator and Preserver of all has so curiously organized their 
bodies, and fitted them for the different regions in which they 
reside, and so carefully provided for all their wants, it must be 
His will that they should enjoy happiness according to the 
extent of their capacities ; and, therefore, they ought to be 
considered as necessary parts of our sublunary system. — 
Another practical lesson we may derive from such surveys, is, 
to place an unshaken dependance upon God for our temporal 
subsistence, while we, at the same time, exert all our faculties 
in the line of active duty. " Blessed is the man who trusteth 
in him ; for there is no want to them that fear him. The young 
lions may suffer hunger, but they that fear the Lord shall not 
want any good thing." — He who decks the lily of the vale, and 
spreads out a plentiful table to the fowls of heaven, to the 
beasts of the forests, to the creeping insects, and even to the 
microscopic animalcula, will never fail to supply the necessary 
wants of those who " do His will, and hearken to the voice of 
His commandments." And if, at any time, we be found des- 
titute of daily food, and pining away in penury and squalid 
disease, we have too much reason to conclude, that, in one 
way or another, either our deviation from the path of recti- 
tude, or our distrust of Divine Providence, or our want of 
prudence and economy, has procured for us these things. 

I have said, that it is chiefly in the world in which we dwell, 
that the dispensations of Providence can be distinctly traced. 
But we must nevertheless admit that the Care and Superinten- 
dence of God are as minutely exercised in the distant regions 
of the universe as in our terrestrial sphere ; though we are 
not permitted, at present, to inspect the particular details of 
His procedure in reference to other orders of intelligences. — 
We are not, however, altogether ignorant of some prominent 
features of the physical and moral economy of other worlds, 

for all his creatures. The practice of spiritualizing such passages, as it is 
termed, has a tendency to carricature Scripture, and to twist it from its 
precise and sublime references, to accord with the vague fancies of inju- 
dicious minds. The literal meaning of Scripture is always the most appro- 
priate, emphatic, and sublime ; but it may, in some cases, be used by way 
of accommodation, in illustrating divine subjects, when it is applied with 
judgment and discrimination. 



RANGE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 307 

in consequence of the discoveries of modern astronomical 
science. 

With respect to their jihysical economy, we behold a strik- 
ing variety in the Divine arrangement. We perceive one 
planetary world surrounded by two splendid and magnificent 
rings, one of them 204,000, and the other 184,000 miles in 
diameter, stretching across its celestial canopy from one end 
of the heavens to another — moving with majestic grandeur 
around its inhabitants every ten hours, and diffusing a light 
equal to several thousands of moons like ours — which may be 
considered as a visible and permanent emblem of the Majesty 
and Glory of their Creator. We perceive connected with the 
same globe, seven moons all larger than ours, of different 
magnitudes, and placed at different distances, and revolving in 
different periods of time around that spacious world. The 
diversified aspects of these rings, as viewed from the different 
regions of the planet at different times, and the variety of 
appearances produced by the alternate rising and setting, cul- 
mination, and frequent eclipses, and other aspects of the moons, 
must present to the inhabitants a very grand, and varied, and 
magnificent scene of Divine operation.* On the other hand, 
we behold another planetary globe, destitute both of rings and 
moons, but which has the starry heavens presented to view 
nearly in the same aspect in which we behold them. We per- 
ceive a third globe much larger than them both, capable of con- 
taining 200 times the number of the inhabitants of our world — 
accompanied in its course with four moons to diffuse light in the 
absence of the sun, and to diversify the aspect of its sky. In 
some of these worlds, the succession of day and night is 
accomplished within the space of ten hours; in others, this 
revolution is not completed till after the lapse of twenty-four 
hours, or of as many days. In some, the days and nights are 
nearly equal on every part of their surface, and they have little 
variety of seasons ; in others, the variety in the length of the 
days, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, are nearly the same 
as those we experience in our terrestrial world. Around some 
there appears a dense atmosphere, while others are environed 
with atmospheres more rare and transparent. Some move in 
the vicinity of the sun, and enjoy an abundant efflux of light 
and heat, while others are removed to the distance of eighteen 
hundred millions of miles from that central luminary. Some 
finish the revolution of their year in a few months ; while others 
require twelve, thirty, or even eighty of our years to complete 

* See the plate, Fig. 7. 



308 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

their annual round. Some appear adorned with majestic 
mountain-scenery, and others seem to have great changes 
occasionally taking place in their atmospheres, or on their sur- 
faces. There are four planetary bodies lately discovered, 
which, there is every reason to believe, once formed the corn- 
potent parts of a large globe ; but by some mighty catastro- 
phe in the dispensations of heaven, it appears to have been 
burst asunder into the fragments we now behold. If the 
general proposition illustrated in Section 2. of the preceding 
chapter be admitted, such a fact would seem to indicate that a 
moral revolution has taken place among the intelligent beings 
who had orginally been placed in those regions ; and that their 
fate was involved in the dreadful shock which burst asunder 
the globe they inhabited; just as the fate of the Antediluvians 
was involved in the shock by which the solid crust of our 
globe was disrupted, at the period of the universal deluge. 

These are some outlines in the economy of Providence 
which we can trace with regard to the arrangements of other 
worlds ; but beyond such general aspects we are not permitted 
to penetrate, so long as we sojourn in tabernacles of clay. — 
But even such general views afford some scope to the contem- 
plative mind, for forming enlarged conceptions of the Grandeur 
and diversity of the Dispensations of God, in the worlds which 
roll in the distant regions of space. 

With regard to their moral economy — we may rest assured 
that the prominent outlines of it are materially the same as of 
that economy which relates to the inhabitants of our world. — 
The fundamental principles of the moral laws given to men, 
and which it is the great object of Revelation to support and 
illustrate, are, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all 
thy heart and understanding," and, " Thou shalt love thy 
neighbor as thyself." On these two commandments hang all 
the Law and the prophets. — Now, we must admit, from the 
nature of the Divine Being, and from the relations in which 
rational beings stand to Him, and to one another, — that the 
Creator has enacted these laws, as the great governing princi- 
ples by which the actions of all intelligences in heaven, as 
well as upon earth, are to be directed. For the Governor of 
the world can never be supposed to issue a law to any order 
of rational creatures, which would permit them to hate their 
Creator, or to hate those whom he has formed after his own 
image. Such a supposition would be inconsistent with the 
eternal rules of rectitude, and with the perfections of Deity 
— and the facts supposed, (if it could exist,) would intro- 
duce confusion and misery throughout the whole intelligent 



RANGE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. 309 

universe. And, therefore, we must necessarily admit, that the 
laws to which I now advert, are binding upon all the rational 
inhabitants which exist throughout Jehovah's dominions; and 
that it is by these that the moral order of all the Principalities 
and Powers of Heaven is preserved and directed. In those 
worlds where there is no change in the succession of their 
inhabitants — or, in other words, where there is no death, or 
where they are not produced by any process analogous to gen- 
eration, but have a fixed and permanent residence, there will be 
no need for moral precepts corresponding to the fifth and the 
seventh commandments of our moral law ; and in those 
worlds where property is common, and the bounties of the 
Creator are equally enjoyed by all, there will be no necessity 
for a law corresponding to the eight commandment ; but the 
general principles on which these laws are founded, will be 
applicable to all the other circumstances and relations which 
actually exist ; so that the principle, and spirit, and essence of 
our religion must be common to all the holy inhabitants of the 
universe. And, therefore, it will follow, that every intelligent 
being that is animated and directed by such principles and 
affections, will be qualified for holding delightful intercourse 
with all holy beings throughout the universe of God, in what- 
ever province of the Creator's empire he may hereafter be 
placed ; and, to qualify us for such harmonious and affection- 
ate intercourses, is one great end of the Salvation exhibited 
in the Gospel. So that, although we cannot, in our present 
state, acquire a minute and comprehensive knowledge of the 
moral history of other worlds, of the special interpositions or 
manifestations of Deity in relation to them, or of the means 
by which they are carried forward in moral and intellectual 
improvement — yet we can trace the general principles or laws 
which form the basis of their moral and religious economy. — 
For as the laws of optics, and the principle of gravitation, 
pervade the whole material system, as far as the universe is 
visible to our assisted vision, so the principle of supreme love 
to God, and sincere affection to fellow-intelligences must 
pervade the intellectual universe, wherever it extends ; and, 
i{ any intelligent agents besides men, have violated these 
laws, they must experience pain, and misery, and disorder, 
analogous to those which are felt by the inhabitants of our 
apostate world. 

Thus I have endeavored to show, that the combination of 
Science with Religion would tend to expand our views of 
Divine Providence — in the various arrangements of God, in 
relation to the human race, and to the subordinate tribes of 

26* 



310 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

sensitive beings — and in reference to some of the prominent 
features of his administration in distant worlds. And, there- 
fore, though the Christian ought never to overlook the ways 
of Providence in relation to himself, and to his spiritual and 
domestic concerns, yet it would argue a seliishness and a 
sottishness altogether inconsistent with the noble and expan- 
sive spirit of Christianity, to overlook all the other parts of 
the Theatre of Divine Dispensations, when a very slight 
degree of labor and research might be instrumental in unfold- 
ing them to his view. 

IV. — The connexion of Science with Religion would have a 
tendency to induce upon Christians a spirit of liberality, 

OF CANDOR, CUld of ACCURACY IN JUDGING OF THE OPINIONS 
AND ACTIONS OF MEN, and of THE DIVINE PROCEDURE AND 
OPERATIONS. 

Who is the most Candid and Liberal Being in the Uni- 
verse I God. — And why is God to be considered as the most 
Liberal Intelligence that exists I Because he embraces a 
minute, a full, and comprehensive view of all the circum- 
stances, connexions, relations, habits, motives, temptations, 
modes of thinking* educational biases, physical affections, 
and other causes that may influence the sentiments or the 
conduct of any of his creatures. — Who among created intel- 
ligences may be viewed as endowed with these qualities in 
the next degree I The loftiest seraph that God has created, 
who has winged his way to numerous worlds, and taken the 
most extensive survey of the dispensations of the Almighty, 
and of all creatures and events. — Who, among the sons of 
men, is the most illiberal and inaccurate in judging of opinions, 
of persons, and of things I The man who has lived all his 
days within the smoke of his father's chimney, or within the 
confines of his native village — who has never looked beyond 
the range of his own religious party — whose thoughts have 
always run in one narrow tract — whose reading has been 
confined to two or three musty volumes, which have lain for 
ages on the same smoky shelf — who cares for nothing either 
in the heavens or the earth, but in so far as it ministers to his 
convenience, his avarice, or his sensual enjoyment — who will 
admit no sentiment to be true, but what he may have heard 
broached by his parson — and whose conversation seldom 
rises beyond mere gossipping chit-chat, and the slanderous 
remarks which are circulated among his neighbors. — Such 
characters are entirely unqualified for forming a correct judg- 



EXPANSION OF INTELLECTUAL VIEWS. SI f 

ment, either of the sentiments and the actions of men, or of 
the Works and the Ways of God ; for they are completely 
destitute of the requisite data whereon to form a rational de- 
cision in relation to either of these subjects. 

It may be admitted as a kind of axiom, in our estimate of 
human character, that in proportion to the ignorance, and the 
narrow range of view which characterize any individual, in a 
similar proportion will be his want of candor and his unfitness 
for passing a sound judgment on any subject that is laid be- 
fore him, — and that the man who has taken excursions through 
the widest range of thought, accompanied with a correspond- 
ing improvement of his moral powers, will always be the most 
liberal and candid in his decisions on the moral and intellec- 
tual qualities of others. To these maxims few exceptions 
will generally be found. — In forming an enlightened judgment 
in regard to any action or object, it is essentially requisite, 
that we contemplate it in all its different features and aspects, 
and in all its minute circumstances, bearings, and relations. 
We would not hesitate for a moment to determine who is best 
qualified to give an accurate description of a city, — he who 
has only viewed its spires from a distance, while in rapid mo- 
tion in his chariot — or he who has minutely surveyed all its 
streets, lanes, squares, public edifices, and surrounding scenery, 
in every variety of aspect ; or, who appears most likely to 
form the most accurate and enlightened judgment in relation 
to any particular kingdom — he who has just skirted along a 
few miles on one of its coasts, or he who has traversed its 
length and breadth in all directions, and mingled with every 
class of its inhabitants. On the same principle, it must be 
admitted, that he who has viewed religion in all its aspects 
and bearings, who has taken the most extensive survey of the 
manifestations of God, and of the habits and relations of men, 
is the best qualified to pronounce a candid and accurate deci- 
sion on all the intellectual and moral cases that may come 
before him. 

If the spirit of the above-stated sentiments be founded on 
reason and on fact, it will follow, that the more we resemble 
God in the amplitude of our intellectual views and benevolent 
affections, the more candid, and liberal, and accurate will our 
judgments be in reference to all the actions, objects, and rela- 
tions we contemplate.— On the othor hand, the man who is 
confined to a narrow range of thought and prospect is con- 
tinually blundering in the estimates he forms, both in respect 
to physical facts, to general principles, and to moral actions. 
He forms a premature and uncharitable opinion on every 



S12 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

slander and report against his neighbor. He condemns, 
without hesitation, and throws an unmerited odium on whole 
bodies of men, because one or two of their number may have 
displayed weakness or folly. He hates and despises men 
and their opinions, because they belong not to his political or 
religious party. He pronounces his decisions on the motives 
of men, with as much confidence as if he had surveyed their 
hearts with the eye of omniscience. He cannot hear an ob- 
jection against his favorite opinions with patience, nor an 
apology for any set of principles but his own. He is arrogant 
and dogmatical in his assertions, and will make no concessions 
to the superior wisdom of others. He sets himself, with vio- 
lence, against every prop >sal for reformation in the church, 
because his forefathers never thought of it, and because such 
" innovations" do not suit his humor and preconceived opi- 
nions. He decides, in the most confident tone, on what God 
can and cannot do, as if he had taken the gauge of Infinite 
Perfection ; and he frets at the Divine dispensations when 
they do not exactly quadrate with his own humors and selfish 
views. 

With regard to the operations of the Most High, he also 
forms the most foolish, and vague, and contradictory concep- 
tions. Tell him of the vast dimensions of the planetary sys- 
tem, of the men and animals that live on the opposite side of 
the globe, of the annual and diurnal motion of the earth — 
that this world and its inhabitants are moving through the re- 
gions of space many thousands of miles every hour — that 
one of the planets is so large that it would contain 1400 
worlds as spacious as ours — that another is flying through the 
tracts of immensity, at the rate of a hundred thousand miles 
in an hour — and that light is darted from the sun with a velo- 
city of 195,000 miles in a moment of time — he will stare at 
you with astonishment at such extravagant assertions, and 
will sooner believe the stories of giants 100 feet high, and of 
fairies that can enter in crowds through the key-hole of his 
door. Instead of frankly acknowledging that M He is igno- 
rant of such subjects, and of the grounds of such conclu- 
sions, — that those who have studied them with intelligence 
are best capable of judging, — that, if true, they mu3t fill us 
with admiration of the glory of God — but that, as he has 
hitherto had no opportunity of examining such matters, he 
must suspend his assent till he inquire into the reasons which 
can be given for such amazing deductions ;" — instead of such 
concessions, which are the dictates of modesty and of com- 
mon sense — he will tell you at once, without hesitation, and 



EXPANSION OF INTELLECTUAL VIEWS. 313 

without a blush at his presumptuous decisions, that " it is all 
extravagance, and folly, and idle romance, contrary to Scrip- 
ture, and reason, and common sense ;" and will not hesitate 
to brand you as a heretic, for endeavoring to break loose his 
intellectual trammels ! — thus tacitly declaring, that he is far 
better qualified to pronounce a decision on such topics, than 
all the philosophers and divines, and all the brightest geniuses 
who have appeared in the world for ages past ; though he will 
at the same time admit, that he never gave himself the trouble 
to examine into such matters ! 

His views of the providential dispensations of God are 
equally partial and distorted. If disease, or poverty, or mis- 
fortune, happen to his neighbor, especially if he had with- 
drawn from the religious party to which he belongs, it is con- 
sidered as a penal judgment for his error and apostacy. If 
prosperous circumstances attend his family or his religious 
party, it is viewed as a sign of divine approbation. He seldom 
views the hand of God, except in uncommon occurrences ; 
and then, he imagines that a miracle is performed, and that 
the wheels of nature are stopped in order to accomplish the 
event. He seldom looks beyond the precincts of his own 
church or nation, to observe the movements of the Divine 
footsteps towards other tribes of his fallen race. He over- 
looks the traces of Divine operation which are every moment 
to be seen above and around him — and yet, in the midst of all 
such partial and contracted views, he will sometimes decide 
on the Wisdom and Rectitude of the ways of God, with as 
much confidence, as if he had entered into the secret 
counsels of the Eternal, and surveyed the whole plan of his 
procedure. 

Such are a few prominent outlines of the character of 
thousands whose names are enrolled as members of the visi- 
ble church — whose illiberality and self-conceit are owing to 
the contracted notions they have formed of God and of Reli- 
gion. And, surely, it must appear desirable to every enlight- 
ened Christian, that every proper means should be used to pre- 
vent rational immortal beings from remaining enchained in 
such mental thraldom. 

On the other hand, the man who takes an enlightened view 
of all the works and dispensations of God, and of all the cir- 
cumstances and relations of subordinate beings, necessarily 
acquires a nobleness and liberality of mind, and an accuracy 
in judging of things human and divine, which no other person 
can possess. He does not hastily take up an evil report 
against his neighbor ; for he considers how unfounded such 



314 



THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 



reports often are, and how much they are owing to the insinua- 
tions of envy or of malice. And when he can no longer 
doubt of an evil action being substantiated against any one, 
he does not triumph over him in the language of execration ; 
for he considers all the circumstances, relations, feelings, 
and temptations with which he may have been surrounded ; 
he considers, that he himself is a frail sinful creature, and 
might possibly have fallen in a similar way, had he been 
placed in the same situation. He does not trumpet forth the 
praises of a man who has performed one brilliant benevolent 
deed, as if he were a character to be admired and eulogized — 
while the general course of his life is marked with vice, and 
an utter forgetfulness of God and Religion ; nor does he fix 
a stigma of immorality upon the person who may have acted 
foolishly or sinfully, in one or two instances, while the general 
tenor of his conduct has been marked by purity and rectitude : 
for, in both cases, he considers, that it is not an insulated 
action, but general habits, which determine the character of 
of any individual. He esteems the Wise and the Good, and 
holds friendly intercourse with them, to whatever political or 
religious party they belong. He can bear, with affability and 
candor, to have his opinions contradicted, and can differ from 
his neighbor in many disputed points, while, at the same time, 
he values and esteems him. He will not brand a man as a 
Heretic or a Deist, because he takes a view of some dogmas 
in Theology, in a different light from what he himself does ; 
for he considers the difference of habits, studies, pursuits, and 
educational prejudices which must have influenced his opi- 
nions ; and makes due allowance for the range of thought to 
which he may have been accustomed. He is always dis- 
posed to attribute the actions of others to good motives, 
when he has no proof of the contrary. He uses no threats 
nor physical force to support his opinions, or to convince 
gainsayers ; for he knows that no external coercion can illu- 
minate the mind, and that the strength of arguments, and the 
force of truth, can alone produce conviction. He is con- 
vinced how ignorant he is, notwithstanding all his study, ob- 
servations, and researches, and presses forward, as long as 
he lives, to higher degrees of knowledge and of moral im- 
provement. 

He is an active promoter of every scheme that tends to 
enlighten and meliorate mankind, and to extend the knowledge 
of Salvation to the ends of the earth ; for he considers that it 
is not by miracles, but by the subordinate agency of intelli- 
gent beings, that God will effectuate the illumination and the 



EXPANSION OF INTELLECTUAL VIEWS. 315 

moral renovation of our apostate race. He views the special 
agency of God in all the movements of the Scientific, the 
Religious, and the Political world, and perceives Him accoin* 
plishing his, purpose, in the inventions of human genius, and 
in the economy of the minutest insect, as well as in the earth- 
quake, the storm, and the convulsions of nations ; for he 
considers the smallest atom, and the hosts of Heaven, as 
equally directed by Eternn.l Wisdom, and equally necessary in 
the universal chain of creatures and events. He displays a 
becoming modesty in speaking of the ways and the works of 
God. When he meets with any dark and afflictive dispensa- 
tion in the course of Providence, he does not fret and repine, 
but is calm and resigned, conscious that he perceives only a 
small portion of the chain of God's dispensations, and is, 
therefore, unable to form a just comparison of the connexion 
of any one part with the whole. TVhen he contemplates the 
depraved and wretched condition of the greater part of the 
world, at present, and for thousands of years past, notwith- 
standing the salvation which has been achieved for sinners of 
mankind, he is far from arraigning the Divine goodness and 
rectitude, in leaving so many nations " to walk in their own 
ways ;" for he knows not what relation this dismal scene may 
bear, what influence it may have, or what important impres- 
sions it may produce on worlds and beings with which we are 
at present unacquainted. 

He is cautious in pronouncing decisively respecting the dis- 
pensations of God, in regard to the universe at large. He 
does not, for example, assert, with the utmost confidence, as 
some have done, " that there never was, and never will be, to 
all the ages of eternity, such a bright display of the Divine 
Glory as in the Cross of Christ."* He admires and adores 
the Condescension and the Love of God, in the plan of Salva- 
tion, which the Gospel exhibits, and feels an interest in it far 
beyond that of any other special manifestation of Deity; but 
he dares not set limits to the Divine Attributes and Operations. 
He considers himself at present, with regard to the grand 
system of the Universe, in a situation similar to that of a 
6mall insect on one of the stones of a magnificent edifice, 
which sees only a few hair-breadths around it, and is altogether 
incapable of surveying the symmetry, the order, and beauty 
of the structure, and in forming an adequate conception of the 
whole. He considers that he has never yet surveyed the 
millioneth part of Jehovah's empire, and, therefore, cannot 



S16 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

tell what the Eternal Sovereign has been pleased to exhibit in 
its numerous provinces ; and, least of all, can he ever pre- 
sume to dive into the depths of interminable ages, and boldly 
declare what the Almighty will, or will not do, through eter- 
nity to come. He, therefore, views it as presumption, while 
he has no dictate of revelation for his warrant, to pronounce 
decisively, either on the one side or the other, of such a deep 
and important question, which seems above the reach of the 
loftiest Seraph to determine.* In short, he endeavors to take 
a view of all the manifestations of Deity within his reach, 
from every source of information which lies before him, and as 
far as his limited faculties will permit. He does not call in ques- 
tion the discoveries of science, because they bring to his ears 
most astonishing reports of the Wisdom and Omnipotence of 
Jehovah, and of the boundless extent of his Kingdom ; but 
rejoices to learn, that the grandeur of his dominions is actually 
found to correspond with the lofty descriptions of Divine 
Majesty and Glory, recorded in the volume of Inspiration, 
and is thereby inspired with nobler hopes of the glory and feli- 
city of that heavenly world where he expects to spend an 
endless existence. 

If, then, such be some of the features in the character of 
the enlightened Christian ; if liberality and candor, and accu- 
rate investigation, mark the judgments he pronounces on the 
sentiments and the actions of men, and on the works and the 
ways of God ; and if such views and feelings ought to be con- 
sidered as more congenial to the noble and benevolent spirit 
of our religion, than the narrow and distorted notions of a 
contracted mind, it must be an object much to be desired, that 
the mass of the Christian world be led into such strains of 
thought, as might imbue their minds with a larger proportion 
of this spirit. And, if diversified and occasional discussions 
on the topics to which we have adverted, would have a ten- 
dency to produce this desirable effect, it is obvious, that such 
branches of knowledge as are calculated to enlarge the capa- 
city of the mind, and to throw a light over the revelations and 
the works of God, should no longer be overlooked in the range 
of our religious contemplations. 

* See Appendix, No. X. 



PIETY AND HUMILITY. 317 

V. — The extensive range of thought which the diversified ob- 
jects in Nature present, would have a tendency to in- 
spire US WITH A SPIRIT OF PIETY, AND OF PROFOUND 
HUMILITY. 

It is owing, in many instances, to want of attention to the 
impressive displays of Wisdom and Omnipotence in the mate- 
rial world, that our pious feelings and devotional exercises are 
so cold and languid. We stalk about on the surface of the 
earth, and pass from one day to another, without reflecting on 
the grand and complicated machinery around us, which is car- 
rying us along through the regions of space, and from one 
portion of duration to another, as if the mighty energies of the 
Eternal mind, exerted in our behalf, were unworthy of our 
acknowledgment or regard. How few, for example, reflect, 
when they open their eyes in the morning, and perceive the 
first beams of the rising sun, that, since they lay down to 
sleep, the Divine Power has been exerted in carrying them 
more than four thousand miles round to the eastward, in order 
that they might again be cheered with the morning light ; and 
that, during the same period, they, along with the earth and its 
vast population, have been carried forward 476,000 miles from 
that portion of space which they occupied seven hours before ! 
Or, if they have no idea of the motion of the earth, and attach 
no belief to such an opinion, how is it they do not reflect that, 
after night has thrown its shades around them, the sun, and 
ten thousand other vast globes must move several hundreds of 
millions of miles, before their eyes can again behold the light of 
day? Either the one or the other of these cases must be the fact ; 
and, in either case, there is presented to our view, a display of 
the Omnipotence, and the Superintendence of Him in whom we 
live and move, which demands our gratitude, our admiration, 
and praise. And can it ever be supposed, that such reflec- 
tions, combined with all the other excitements to reverence 
and gratitude, will not tend to elevate our contemplations, and 
to raise our pious feelings to a higher pitch of devotion ? 
Whether the Psalmist entertained any views of this kind when 
he composed the ninety-second Psalm, we cannot certainly 
determine ; but I presume, the pious and contemplative mind, 
when awaking from the slumbers of the night, under such im- 
pressions might sing the first part of that song of praise with 
peculiar emphasis ani delight — " It is a good thing to give 
thanks to Jehovah, and to sing praise to thy name, thou 
most High ! to show forth thy loving kindness in the morning. 
For thou, Lord, ho.st made me glad through thy work," (or thf 

27 



318 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

powerful energy ;) " I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 
Lord ! how great are thy works ! and thy thoughts" 
(or contrivances) " are very deep ! A brutish man knoweth 
not, neither doth a fool understand this." 

An extensive acquaintance with nature and science, com- 
bined with Christian principle, would also induce profound 
humility. The man who has made excursions through the 
most diversified regions of thought, is deeply sensible of the 
little progress he has attained, and of the vast and unbounded 
field of Divine science which still remains to be explored. 
When he considers the immense variety of sublime subjects 
which the volume of inspiration exhibits, and of which he has 
obtained but a very faint and imperfect glimpse — the compre- 
hensive extent, and the intricate windings of the operations of 
Providence, and the infinite number of beings over which it 
extends — the amplitude and magnificence of that glorious uni- 
verse over which Jehovah presides, and how small a portion of 
it lies open to his minute inspection — he is humbled in the 
dust at the view of his own insignificance ; he sees himself to 
be a very babe in knowledge ; and, as it were, just emerging 
from the gloom of ignorance into the first dawnings of light 
and intelligence. He feels the full force and spirit of the 
Poet's sentiments — 

" Much learning shows hoio little mortals know." 
When he considers the comprehensive extent of the Divine 
law, and its numerous bearings on every part of his conduct, 
and on all the diversified relations in which he stands to his 
God, and to his fellow men ; and when he reflects on his mul- 
tiplied deviations from that eternal rule of rectitude, he is 
ashamed and confounded in the presence of the Holy One of 
Israel ; and, on a review of his former pride and self-conceit, 
is constrained to adopt the language of Agur and of Asaph — 
" Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the 
understanding of a man." " So foolish was I, and ignorant, 
I was as a beast before thee." He views the meanest and the 
most ignorant of his species, as but a very few degrees below 
him in the scale of intelligence, and sees no reason why he 
should glory over his fellows. 

This sentiment might be illustrated from the example of 
some of the most eminent men in whose minds science and 
religion were combined. The Honorable Mr. Boyle was 
the most unwearied and successful explorer of the works of 
God. in the age in which he lived, and all his philosophical pur- 
suits were consecrated to the service of Religion. Among 
other excellent traits in his character, humility was the most 



PIETY AND HUMILITY- 

conspicuous. " He had about him," says Bishop Burnet, 
" all that unaffected neglect of pomp in clothes, lodging, furni- 
ture, and equipage, which agreed with his grave and serious 
course of life," and was courteous and condescending to the 
meanest of his fellow men. " He had," says the same author, 
" the profoundest veneration for the Great God of Heaven 
and earth, that ever I observed in any person. The very 
name of God was never mentioned by him without a pause, 
and a visible stop in his discourse ;" and the tenor of his phi- 
losophical and theological writings is in complete unison with 
these traits of character. Sir Isaac Newton, too, whose 
genius seemed to know no limits but those of the visible uni- 
verse, was distinguished by his modesty, humility, and meekness 
of temper. He had such an humble opinion of himself, tnat 
he had no relish of the applause which was so deservedly paid 
him. He would have let others run away with the glory of his 
inventions, if his friends and countrymen had not been more 
jealous of his honor than he was himself. He said, a little 
before his death, " I do not know what I may appear to the 
world, but to myself, I seem to have been only like a boy play- 
ing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then 
finding a pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, w T hilst the 
great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." 

The same sentiment might have been illustrated from the 
lives of Bacon, Locke, Dr. Boerhaave, Hervey, Nieuwentyt, 
Ray, Derham, the Abbe Pluche, Bonnet, and other eminent 
characters, who devoted their stores of knowledge to the illus- 
tration of the Christian system. For an extensive knowledge 
of the operations of God has a natural tendency to produce 
humility and veneration ; and wherever it is combined with 
pride and arrogance, either among philosophers or divines, it 
indicates a lamentable deficiency, if not a complete destitution 
of Christian principle, and of all those tempers which form the 
bond of union among holy intelligences. After the attention 
of Job had been directed to the works of God, and when he 
had contemplated the inexplicable phenomena of the Divine 
agency in the material world, he was ashamed and confounded 
at his former presumption ; and, in deep humility, exclaimed, 
" I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now 
mine eye see thee ; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent 
in dust and ashes." — In accordance with what has been now 
stated, we find, that the most exalted intelligences who, of 
course, possess the most extensive views of the works and 
providential arrangements of God, are represented as also the 
most humble in their deportment, and as displaying the most 



320 THE CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER. 

profound reverence in their incessant adorations. They "fell 
down before him who sits upon the throne ; and cast their 
crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, Lord, to 
receive glory, and honor and power ; for thou hast created all 
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. " 
Their moral conduct evinces the same lowly temper of mind. 
They wait around the throne, in the attitude of motion, with 
wings outspread readv to fly, on the first signal of their Sove- 
reign's will ; they " co his commandment?, hearkening to the 
voice of his word»" and do not disdain tj perform important 
services, in our wretched world, to the meanest human being 
who is numbered among " the heirs of salvation." In like 
manner, were we endued with the grasp of intellect, the capa- 
cious mindn, (he extensive knowledge, and the moral powers 
which they possess, we would also display the same humble 
and reverential spirit, and feel ashamed of those emotions of 
vanity and pride, which dispose so many of the human family 
to look down with contempt on their fellow mortals. 



If the leading train of sentiment which pervades this volume 
be admitted, the following general conclusions maybe ad- 
duced : — That, in conducting the religious instruction of the 
young, the works of God in the material world, and the most 
striking discoveries which have been made as to their magni- 
tude, variety, and mechanism, should be frequently exhibited 
to their view in minute detail ; as illustrations of the attributes 
of the Deity, and of those descriptions of his nature and ope- 
rations contained in the Volume of Inspiration ; — that the 
books put into their hands should contain, among other sub- 
jects, popular and striking descriptions of the facts and appear- 
ances of nature ; — that seminaries should be established for 
the occasional instruction of young persons, from the age of 
15 to the age of 20 or 30, or upwards, in all those popular 
branches of natural and moral science which have a tendency 
to enlarge the capacity of their minds, and to expand their con- 
ceptions of the incessant agency of God ; — -and that the Minis- 
ters of Religion, in their public instructions, should frequently 
blend their discussions of divine topics with illustrations de- 
rived from the scenes of creation and providence. 



APPENDIX; 

CONTAINING 

NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



No. I. p. 48. — Illustration of the rate of motion in the Heaven* 
ly Bodies, on the supposition that the Earth is at rest. 

The distance of the sun is about 95 millions of miles ; con- 
sequently, the diameter of the circle he would describe around 
the earth would be 190 millions, and its circumference 
597,142,857, which forms the extent of the circuit through 
which he would move in 24 hours, if the earth were at rest. 
This number divided by 24, gives 24,880,952, the number of 
miles he would move in an hour ; and this last number, divided 
by 60, gives 414,682, the number of miles he would move 
in a minute. The nearest star is reckoned to be at least 
20,000,000,000,000 or twenty billions of miles distant from the 
earth ; consequently, its daily circuit round our globe would 
measure more than 125,000,000,000,000 miles. This sum 
divided by 86,400, the number of seconds in a day, would give 
1,454,861,111, or somewhat more than one thousand four 
hundred millions of miles, for its rate of motion in a second of 
time — a motion which, were it actually existing, would, in all 
probability, shatter the universe to atoms. 

The unlearned reader may, perhaps, acquire a more distinct 
idea of this explanation from the following figure : 



27* 



322 



AFPENDIX 




Let the small circle A, in the centre, represent the Earth, 
and the circle BCDE the orbit of the Sun, on the supposi- 
tion that he moves round the Earth every 24 hours. The 
line A B will represent the distance of the Sun from the Earth, 
or 95 millions of miles ; the line B D the diameter of the orbit 
he would describe ; and the circle BCDE the circumfe- 
rence along which he would move every day, or 597 millions 
of miles, which is somewhat more than three times the diame- 
ter. If the line A F represent the distance of the nearest 
star, the circle F G H I will represent the circuit through 
which it would move every 24 hours, if the earth were at rest. 
It is obvious, from the figure, that since the stars are at a 
greater distance from the earth than the sun, the circle they 
would describe around the earth would be larger in proportion, 
and, consequently, their velocities would be proportionably 
more rapid ; since they would move through their larger cir- 
cles in the same time in which the sun moved through his 
aarrower sphere. But the supposition that the earth is the 



APPENDIX. 323 

centre of all the celestial motions, and that the different stars 
are daily moving around it with different velocities, and the 
slowest of these motions is so inconceivably rapid — is so wild 
and extravagant, that it appears altogether inconsistent with 
the harmony of the universe — with the Wisdom and Intelli- 
gence of the iDeity, and with all the other arrangements he has 
made in the system of nature. 



No. II. p. 72. — Experimental Illustrations of the Pressure of 
the Atmosphere, 

The pressure of the atmosphere is most strikingly illustrated 
by means of the air pump. But as few persons, compara- 
tively, possess this instrument, the following experiments, 
which any person may perform at pleasure, are sufficiently 
convincing on this point. Take a common wine glass, and 
fill it with water ; apply a piece of paper over the mouth of the 
glass ; press the paper to the rim of the glass with the palm of 
the hand ; turn the glass upside down ; withdraw the hand 
from the paper, and the water will be supported by the pres- 
sure of the atmosphere. That it is the atmospherical pressure, 
and not the paper, which supports the water is evident ; for 
the paper, instead of being pressed down by the weight of the 
water, is pressed upward by the pressure of the atmosphere, 
and appears concave, or hollow in the middle. If the flame of 
a candle be applied to the paper, it may be held, for an indefi- 
nite length of time, close to the paper, without setting fire to it. 
The same fact is proved by the following experiment : — Take 
a glass tube, of any length, and of a narrow bore ; put one end 
of it in a basin of water ; apply the mouth to the other end, 
and draw out the air by suction ; the water will immediately 
rise toward the top of the tube ; and if the finger or thumb be 
applied to the top of the tube, to prevent the admission of air, 
and the tube removed from the basin of water, the water in the 
tube will be supported by the pressure of the atmosphere on 
the lower end. Again : — Take, a wine glass, and burn a 
small bit of paper in it ; and, when the paper is burning, press 
the palm of the hand upon the mouth of the glass, and it will 
adhere to the hand with considerable force. In this case, the 
pressure of the atmosphere will be sensibly felt ; for it will 
sometimes require considerable force to detach the glass from 
the hand. 

The pressure of the atmosphere explains a variety of com- 
mon phenomena. When we take a draught of water out of a 



S24 APPENDIX. 

basin, or a running stream, we immerse our mouths in the 
water, and make a vacuum by drawing in the air ; the pres- 
sure of the atmosphere upon the external surface of the watei 
then forces it into the mouth. The same cause explains the 
process of a child sucking its mother's breasts — the action oi 
a boy's sucker, in lifting large stones — the rise of water in 
pumps — the effects produced by cements — the firm adhesion 
of snails and periwinkles to rocks and stones — the scarcity 
of water in the time of hard frosts — and the fact that a cask 
will not run by the cock, unless a hole be opened in some 
other part of the cask. 



No. III. p. 253. — On (he means by which it may probably bo 
ascertained ivheiher the JWoon be a habitable world. 

About six years ago, the Author published, in the Monthly 
Magazine, a few observations on the surface of the Moon, in 
which a few remarks were offered on this subject. The fol- 
lowing is an extract from that communication : — 

" If we be ever to obtain an ocular demonstration of the 
habitability of any of the celestial orbs, the Moon is the only 
one, where we can expect to trace, by our telescopes, indica 
tions of the agency of sentient or intelligent beings ; and I 
am pretty much convinced, that a long continued series of 
observations on this planet, by a number of individuals in 
different places, might completely set at rest the question, 
4 Whether the Moon be a habitable world V Were a vast 
number of persons, in different parts of the world, to devote 
themselves to a particular survey of the Moon — were different 
portions of her surface allotted to different individuals, as the 
object of their particular research — were every mountain, 
hill, cavern, cliff, and plain accurately inspected — and every 
change and modification in the appearance of particular £pots 
carefully marked and represented in a series of delineations, 
it might lead to some certain conclusions, both as to her phy- 
sical constitution, and her ultimate destination. It can be 
demonstrated, that a telescope which magnifies 100 times, 
will show a spot on the Moon's surface, whose diameter is 
1223 yards ; and one which magnifies a thousand times, will, 
of course, enable us to perceive a portion of her surface, 
whose size is only 122 yards : and, consequently, an object, 
whether natural or artificial, of no greater extent than one of 
our large edifices, (for example, St. Paul's Church, London,) 
may, by such an instrument, be easily distinguished. Now, 



APPENDIX. 325 

if every minute point on the Lunar surface were accurately 
marked by numerous observers, it might be ascertained 
whether any changes are taking place, either from physical 
causes, or from the operations of intelligent agents. If a 
large forest were cutting down — if a city were building in an 
open plain, or extending its former boundaries — if a barren 
waste were changing into a scene of vegetation — or, if an 
immense concourse of animated beings were occasionally 
assembled on a particular spot, or shifting from one place to 
another — such changes would be indicated by certain modifi- 
cations of shade, color, or motion ; and, consequently, would 
furnish a direct proof of the agency of intelligent beings 
analogous to man,, and of the Moon being a habitable globe. 
For although we may never be able to distinguish the inha- 
bitants of the Moon (if any exist) yet if we can trace those 
effects which can flow only from the operations of intelligent 
agents, it would form a complete demonstration of their ex- 
istence, on the- same ground on which a Navigator concludes 
an unknown island to be inhabited, when he perceives human 
habitations, and cultivated fields. 

" That changes occasionally happen on the lunar hemi- 
sphere next the earth, appears from the observations of Her- 
schel and Schroeter, particularly from those of the latter. In 
the transactions of the ■ Society of Natural Philosophy,' at 
Berlin, Schroeter relates, that on the 3Cth December, 1791, 
at 5 o'clock, p. m. with a 7 feet reflector, magnifying 161 
times, he perceived the commencement of a small crater on 
the south-west declivity of the volcanic mountain in the JWare 
Crisium, having a shadow of at least 2 // 5. On the 11th 
January, at 20 minutes past five, on looking at this place 
again, he could see neither the new crater nor its shadow. 
Again, on the 4th January, 1792, he perceived, in the eastern 
crater of Helicon, a central mountain, of a clear gray color, 
3" in diameter, of which, during many years' observations, 
he had perceived no trace. ' This appearance,' he adds, « is 
remarkable, as probably from the time of Hevelius, the western 
part of Helicon has been forming into its present shape, and 
Nature seems, in that district, to be particularly active.'-— In 
making such minute observations as those to which I allude, 
it would be proper, along with an inspection of the moon's 
luminous disk, to mark the appearances of different portions 
of her dark hemisphere, whan it is partially enlightened by 
the reflected light from the earth, soon after the appearance 
of new moon. These researches would require a long-con- 
tinued series of the most minute observations, by numerous 



326 APPENDIX. 

observers in different regions of the globe, which could bo 
effected only by exciting, among the bulk of mankind, a ge- 
neral attention to such investigations. But were this object 
accomplished, and were numerous observations made from 
the tops of mountains, and in the serene sky of southern 
climes, where the powers of the telescope are not counter- 
acted by dense vapors, there can be little doubt that direct 
proofs would be obtained that the Moon is a habitable world ; 
or, at least, that the question in relation to this point would be 
completely set at rest." 



No. IV. — Remarks on tne late pretended discovery of a Lunar 
Fortification. 

The British Public was lately amused by the announce- 
ment of a discovery said to have been made by Professor 
Frauenhofer, of Munich. This gentleman was said to have 
discovered a fortification in the Moon, and to have distin- 
guished several lines of road, supposed to be the work of the 
lunar inhabitants. It is scarcely necessary to say, that such 
announcements are obviously premature. To perceive dis- 
tinctly the shape of an object in the Moon, which resembles 
a fortification, it is requisite, that that object be of a much 
larger size than our terrestrial ramparts. Besides, although 
an object resembling one of our fortifications were perceived 
on the surface of the moon, there would be no reason to con- 
clude, that it served the same purpose as fortifications do 
among us. We are so much accustomed to war in our ter- 
restrial system, and reflect so little on its diabolical nature, 
that we are apt to imagine that it must form a necessary em- 
ployment even in other worlds. To be assured that a fortifi- 
cation existed in the Moon for the same purpose as with us, 
would indeed be dismal tidings from another world ; for it 
would be a necessary conclusion, from such intelligence, that 
the inhabitants of that globe are actuated by the same princi- 
ples of depravity, ambition, and revenge, which have infected 
the moral atmosphere of our sublunary world. With regard 
to the pretended discovery of the Lunar roads, it may not be 
improper to remark, that such roads behooved to be at least 
400 feet broad, or ten times the breadth of ours, in order to be 
perceived as faint lines through a telescope which magnifies a 
thousand times ; which is a higher power, I presume, than 
Frauenhofer can apply with distinctness to any of his tele- 



APPENDIX. 327 

scopes. It is not at all likely that the lunar inhabitants are of 
such a gigantic size, or employ carriages of such an enormous 
bulk, as to require roads of such dimensions, since the whole 
surface of the Moon is only the thirteenth part of the area of 
our globe. 

Schroeter conjectures the existence of a great city to the 
north of Marius, (a spot in the moon,) and of an extensive 
canal towards Hygena, (another spot,) and he represents part 
of the spot named Mare Imbrium, to be as fertile as the 
Campania. See Edin. Phil. Jour. No. 21, for July, 1824. 
Similar remarks to those now stated will apply to these con- 
jectures of Schroeter. We are too apt to imagine, that the 
objects we perceive in the moon must bear a certain resem- 
blance to those with which we are acquainted on the Earth ; 
whereas, there is every reason to believe, from the variety we 
perceive in nature, that no one world resembles another, 
except in some of its more prominent and general arrange- 
ments. The Moon bears a general resemblance to the Earth, 
in its being diversified with mountains and valleys ; but the 
positions and arrangement of these objects in the Moon, and 
the scenery they exhibit, are materially different from what 
appears on the surface of the terraqueous globe. 



No. V. — On the ideas of 'Magnitude, Motion, and Duration, 
as expressed by numbers. See pp. 93, 98. 

In the pages referred to, and other parts of this volume, 
some very large numbers are expressed in figures. Some 
readers have insinuated, that it would have been better to 
have expressed such numbers in words. The Author, how- 
ever, is of a different opinion ; because, to some readers, not 
much acquainted with Numeration, a thousand trillions would 
convey nearly the same idea as a thousand nonilions, though 
the one number contains 58 places of figures, and the other 
only 22. It is chiefly the number of figures, or cyphers, in 
such large sums, that leads us to form a comparative estimate 
of their value or extent. Our ideas of magnitude and exten- 
sion, conveyed by such numbers, must, of course, be very 
vague and undefined. If we have been accustomed to travel- 
ling, we have a tolerably clear conception of a hundred, and 
even of a thousand miles ; but we have no clear nor adequate 
conception of a body, or a portion of space, ten hundred 
thousand, ten hundred millions, or ten hundred billions of 



323 APPENDIX. 

miles in extent. The mind, however, may be assisted in its 
conceptions, and in its comparative estimate of different num- 
bers, by fixing on some particular number as a standard. If, 
according to the common reckoning, we suppose, that 5828 
years have elapsed since the commencement of time, the num- 
ber of seconds, or moments, in this period, will amount to 
183,913,782,212, or one hundred and eighty-three thousand 
nine hundred and thirteen millions, seven hundred and eighty- 
two thousand, two hundred and twelve, which is less than the 
fifth part of a billion. If the distance of the nearest stars from 
the earth be at least 20 billions of miles, then this distance may 
be otherwise expressed, by saying, that the number of miles 
which intervene between us and these bodies is more than a 
hundred times greater than the number of moments, which 
have elapsed since the creation ; and, by a similar comparison, 
it will be found that the number of cubical miles within the 
limits of the planetary system, is 130,000,000,000,000,000, 
or, one hundred and thirty thousand billions of times greater 
than the number of moments in 5828 years. 

It has been computed, that the earth, supposing it a solid 
globe, contains about 30,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,- 
000,000, or thirty septillions of grains of sand, supposing a 
hundred grains of sand to be equal in length to an inch, and, 
consequently, a million of such grains for every cubical inch. 
If we use this number as a standard for estimating the number 
of cubical miles contained within the space which intervenes 
between us and the nearest stars, we shall find that the num- 
ber of cubical miles comprehended within this space, is more 
than ten thousand millions of times greater than the number 
of the grains of sand contained in the globe on which we 
dwell. 

Though the human mind can form no definite conceptions 
of such numbers and magnitudes, yet it may be useful, occa- 
sionally, to ruminate on such subjects ; as it is the only, or, at 
least, the principal mode by which limited minds like ours can 
approximate to an idea of the infinity of the Creator. And if 
an image of infinity is presented to the mind in the spaces 
comprehended within the limits of our system, how overpow- 
ering the conception of innumerable systems, to which ours 
bears no more proportion than a drop of water to the mighty 
ocean? How ineffably glorious must be the attributes of that 
Incomprehensible Being who pervades very part of this vast 
universe, and who continual y superintends all its minute and 
diversified movements ! 



APPENDIX. 329 

No. VI. p. 195.— On a Plurality of Worlds. 

The doctrine of a plurality of worlds is now admitted as 
highly probable both by philosophers and by enlightened di- 
vines. But'it has been admitted by many persons, on grounds 
that are too general and vague, and consequently, a full con- 
viction of its truth is seldom produced in the mind. In differ- 
ent parts of the preceding volume, I have all along taken it for 
granted, because I consider it as susceptible of a moral demon- 
slration. — The following heads of argument, were they fully 
illustrated, would go far to carry demonstration to the mind on 
this subject : namely, That there are numerous bodies in the 
universe of a bulk sufficient to contain myriads of intelligent 
beings, and to afford them enjoyment — that there appears, in 
the constitution of many of these bodies, a variety of arrange- 
ments evidently adapted to this end — that, in relation to the 
planets of our system, there are many circumstances which 
bear a striking resemblance to the constitution of our globe 
and its appendages : They have annual and diurnal motions, 
moons, atmospheres, mountains and vales — that light, and 
heat, and color, appear to be distributed throughout the regions 
of immensity ; and that these agents can have a relation only 
to the necessities and the happiness of organized intelli- 
gences—that every part of nature, so far as our observations 
on the surface of this globe extend, appears to exist solely for 
the sake of sentient beings — that this doctrine is more worthy 
of the Infinite Creator, and gives a more glorious and magnifi- 
cent idea of his nature, than to suppose his benevolent regards 
confined to the globe on which we dwell. When these and a 
variety of other arguments are considered, in connection 
with the Wisdom and other attributes of the Deity, 'they 
amount not only to a high degree of probability, but to some- 
thing approaching to a moral demonstration. But to illustrate 
these arguments in a minute detail, so as to make a convincing 
impression on the mind, would require a volume of a consid- 
erable size. The Author flatters himself he has some original 
thoughts on this subject, which may probably see the light 
should the present work meet with public acceptance. There 
is no work in our language which takes an extensive view on 
this subject, in connection with the attributes of the Deity, and 
the intimations contained in Divine Revelation. Fontenelle's 
" Plurality of Worlds," contains a number of ingenious rea- 
sonings ; but he treats the subject in too light and flippant a 
manner, and without the least reference to a Supreme Intelli- 
gence. The celebrated Huygens in his " Cosmoiheoros? 

28 



830 APPENDIX. 

instead of attempting to prove the doctrine of a plurality of 
worlds, takes it for granted, and indulges chiefly in conjec- 
tures respecting the organical structure, and faculties of their 
inhabitants. 

That the Scriptures are silent on this head, has been as- 
sumed by some as a presumptive argument that this doctrine 
is without a solid foundation. I have already endeavored to 
show that this assumption is unfounded, (see page 193.) A 
plurality of worlds is more than once asserted in Scripture, 
and in numerous passages, is evidently taken for granted. 
Celestial intelligences are represented as ascribing " glory, 
honor, wisdom and power" to the King of Heaven, " because 
he hath created all things," and because they perceive his 
works to be " great and marvellous." But if all the great 
globes in the firmament were only so many frightful deserts, 
destitute of inhabitants, such a universe could never inspire 
superior intelligences with admiration of the wisdom of the 
Creator. For wisdom consists in proportioning means to 
ends ; but, in the case supposed, there would be no proportion 
between the means and the end. The means are indeed great 
and astonishing ; but no end appears to justify such a display 
of creating energy. — The Psalmist, when he contemplated the 
heavens, was so affected with the idea of the immense popula- 
tion of the universe, that he seems to have been almost afraid 
lest he should be overlooked amidst the immensity of beings 
that are under the superintendence of God. " When I con- 
sider thy heavens — what is man that thou art mindful of him !" 
There would be no propriety nor emphasis in this exclama- 
tion, if the heavenly orbs were devoid of inhabitants ; for, if 
no intelligent beings exist besides man, and a colony of an- 
gels, it would not appear wonderful that the Creator should 
exercise a particular care over the one half of his intelligent 
offspring. But, if we conceive the universe as composed of 
ten thousand times ten thousand worlds, peopled with myriads 
of intellectual beings of various orders, the sentiment of admi- 
ration implied in the passage is extremely natural and em- 
phatic, and conveys to us an impressive idea of the Intelli- 
gence, the Benificence, and the Condescension of theFounder 
and Governor of all worlds. 



No. VII. p. 246. — On the first Inventor of Printing. 

Mr. Ireland, in his " Picturesque Tour through Holland, 
Brabant, and part of France, in 1789," gives the following 



APPENDIX. 331 

account of the inventor of Printing, when describing the city 
of Haerlem. 

" Haerlem claims the invention of the art of printing. It is 
attributed to Lawrence Koster, an alderman of this city, in 
1440 ; whose house is yet standing in the market-place, oppo- 
site the church. Amusing himself one day in the neighboring 
wood, with cutting the bark of trees into the letters that form- 
ed the initials of his name, he is said to have laid them on 
paper, and falling asleep, when he awoke, observed, that from 
the dew, their form was impressed on the paper. This acci- 
dent induced him to make further experiment : he next cut 
his letters in wood, and, dipping them in a glutinous liquid, 
impressed them on paper, which he found an improvement ; 
and, soon after, substituting leaden and pewter letters, erected 
a press in his house ; thus laying the foundation of this noble 
art, which has thence gradually risen to its present excellence. 
—The art, it is said, was stolen from him by his servant, John 
Faustus, who conveyed it to Mentz, and, from the novelty of 
the discovery, soon acquired the title of Doctor and Conjurer. 
The original specimens are now shown at the library in the 
Town Hall. The first is on a leaf of parchment, and the 
second and third on paper, printed only on one side, and the 
corner left blank for capitals. At the top are wooden cuts, 
representing the creation, and, as it is called, Lucifer's Fall," 
—pp. 109—111. 

No. YIIL p. 254. — On Telescopes ; with a brief notice of a 
New Reflecting Telescope, constructed by the Author. 

It is doubtful to what particular individual we owe the in- 
vention of the telescope. Some have supposed that Roger 
Bacon and Baptista Porta invented this instrument. Borelli 
ascribes the invention to Zacharias Jansen, a native of Mid- 
dleburg. Perhaps the account given in the. article to which 
this note refers, and which is stated by a variety of authors, 
may be as probable as any other. It is certain that the teles- 
cope was not in general use until the beginning of the 17th 
century, and that no discoveries in the heavens were made 
with it, till the year 1609. 

There are two kinds of telescopes, Refracting and Reflect- 
ing. In refracting telescopes, the rays of light pass through 
convex or concave glasses or lenses. The object-glass is 
always convex, and forms an image or picture of the object 
in an inverted position in its focus ; which image is viewed by 
the eye-glass ; and the magnifying power is in the proportion 



332 APPENDIX. 

of the focal distance of the object-glass to that of the eye- 
glass. The focal distance of a convex glass may be ascer- 
tained by holding it in the rays of the sun, opposite to a piece 
of white paper, and measuring the distance between the glass 
and the white spot, or burning point, formed on the paper. — 
An Astronomical telescope for viewing celestial objects may 
be constructed with only two glasses. If an object-glass, 30 
inches focal distance, be fixed in the end of a tube, and an 
eye-glass of one inch focus be placed at the other end, at the 
distance of 31 inches from the object-glass, a telescope will 
be formed, which will magnify in the proportion of one to 
thirty, or 30 times ; that is, objects seen through such a tele- 
scope will appear thirty times larger in diameter, or thirty times 
nearer than to the naked eye. By such an instrument, the 
inequalities on the moon's surface, and some of the satellites 
of Jupiter may be perceived ; but when directed to land 
objects they will appear inverted, or turned upside down. In 
order to reverse the appearance of the object, two other eye- 
glasses are required ; or, if a concave eye-glass of a similar focus 
be placed at 29 inches from the object-glass, the object will 
appear in its natural position, and the magnifying power will 
be the same ; but the field of view will be much smaller. — 
Astronomical telescopes of this construction were formerly 
made of 120, and even of 200 feet in length, and were used 
without a tube ; the object-glass being placed on the top of a 
long pole ; but these are now entirely superseded by Achro- 
matic telescopes. In the achromatic telescope, the object- 
glass is compounded of two, and sometimes of three lenses, 
placed close to each other, one of which is a double concave 
of white flint glass, and the other a double convex of crown 
glass. By this means an image is formed without being blend- 
ed with the prismatic colors ; and it will, therefore, bear a 
much greater magnifying power than a common refractor. — 
An achromatic telescope four feet long, will magnify objects as 
much as a common refractor 100 feet long. 

In Reflecting telescopes the images of objects are formed 
by speculums or mirrors, instead of lenses. They are of two 
kinds, the Gregorian and the Neiutonian. The Gregorian 
reflector consists of a tube in which a concave mirror, having 
a hole in its centre, is placed. The rays of light from distant 
objects falling upon this mirror, form an image before it, in its 
centre or focus. This image is intercepted by a smaller mir- 
ror, which reflects it back through the hole in the large mirror, 
to an eye-glass, through which the observer views the object. 
In the Newtonian Reflector, a plane mirror, placed at an angle 



APPENDIX. 

of 45 degrees, is substituted in place of the small mirror in 
the Gregorian construction, and the observer looks down upon 
the object through the side of the tube. Dr. Brewster has 
suggested an interesting improvement in the construction of 
this instrument, which is described in The Edinburgh Ency. 
Art. Optics, p. 644. 



New Reflector. — About three years ago, the Author com- 
menced a. series of experiments on Reflecting Telescopes; 
and has lately constructed several on a new plan and princi- 
ple. In this construction, there is no small speculum, either 
plane, convex, or concave ; there is no tube, except a short one 
of two or three inches in length, for holding the speculum. — 
The observer sits with his back to the object, and views the 
image formed by the speculum through an eye-piece, which 
requires to be nicely directed and adjusted. Three or four 
instruments of this construction have been fitted up, with 
specula of 5, 8, 16, 28, 35, and 49 inches focal distance. — 
One of them, having a speculum of eight inches focus, and 2 
inches diameter, with a terrestrial eye-piece, magnifying about 
25 times, forms an excellent parlour telescope for viewing 
land objects, and exhibits them in a brilliant and novel aspect. 
When compared with a Gregorian of the same size and mag- 
nifying power, the quantity of light upon the object appears 
nearly double, and the image is equally distinct. It represents 
objects in their natural colors, without that dingy and yellowish 
tinge which appears when looking through a Gregorian. — 
Another of these instruments, having a speculum of 28 inches 
focal distance, and an eye-piece producing a magnifying power 
of about 100 times, serves as an excellent astronomical tele- 
scope. By this instrument the belts and satellites of Jupiter, 
the ring of Saturn, and the mountains and cavities of the 
Moon may be contemplated with great ease and distinction. 
By placing the pedestal on the floor of the apartment, when 
the object is at a high elevation, we can view celestial phe- 
nomena with the same ease as if we were sitting at a writing- 
desk reading a book. With a magnifying power of about 40 
or 50 times applied to this telescope, terrestrial objects appear 
extremely bright and well defined. A speculum of 49 inches 
focal distance, and 62 inches diameter, has lately been fitted 
up on the same principle. With magnifying powers of from 
100 to 160 times, it exhibits distinct and interesting views of 
the Moon's surface, and of the ring of Saturn, and with a 

28* 



334 APPENDIX. 

power of 56 times it affords a beautiful view of land objects. 
The specula used in these instuments are far from being good; 
being of a yellowish color, and scarcely half polished, and 
having large holes in the centre ; as they were originally intend- 
ed for Gregorian Reflectors ; yet the brightness of vision 
approaches nearly to that of Achromatic Telescopes. The 
experiments which have been made on this subject demon- 
strate, that a tube is not necessary for a Reflecting Telescope, 
when viewing either celestial or terrestrial objects ; and, there- 
fore, this construction of the instrument may be denominated, 
The Aerial Reflector. The simplicity of the construc- 
tion, and the excellence of the performance of these instru- 
ments, have been much admired by several scientific gentlemen 
to whom they have been exhibited. A Caveat has lately been 
lodged at the Patent Office, in the view of taking out a Patent 
for this construction of Reflecting telescopes ; and a more 
detailed account of it will probably soon appear in some of the 
Scientific Journals. 

In the System of Optics, lately published in the Edinburg 
Encyclopaedia, (one of the most luminous and comprehensive 
treatises which has yet appeared on this subject,) the writer, in 
his introduction to the account of Dr. Brewster's improve- 
ment on the Newtonian Telescope, remarks : — " If we could 
dispense with the use of the small specula in telescopes of 
moderate length, by inclining the great speculum, and using 
an oblique, and, consequently, a distorted reflection, as pro- 
posed first by La Maire, we should consider the Newtonian 
Telescope as perfect ; and on a large scale, or when the in- 
strument exceeds 20 feet, it has undoubtedly this character, as 
nothing can be more simple than to magnify, by a single eye- 
glass, the image formed by a single speculum. — As the front 
view is quite impracticable ; and, indeed, has never been at- 
tempted in instruments of a small size, it becomes of great 
practical consequence to remove as much as possible the evils 
which arise from the use of a small speculum," &c. — The 
instruments noticed above have effectuated the desirable ob- 
ject alluded to by this respectable writer; and the principle of 
the construction is neither that of Dr. HerschePs front view, 
nor does it coincide with that proposed by La Maire, which 
seems to have been a mere hint, which was never put into 
execution. 



No. IX. p. 257. — On Steam Navigation, 
The application of steam, as a mechanical power for impel- 



APPENDIX. 335 

ling vessels along rivers and seas, is one of the most brilliant 
and useful achievements of art which distinguish the present 
age, and seems destined to produce an important and interest- 
ing change in the general intercourse of nations. From the 
"Report of a Committee of Parliament," published in 1822, 
it appears, that the first application of steam to the impelling 
of vessels, was made by an Englishman, of the name of Hull, 
who, in 1736, obtained a patent for the invention of a Steam- 
boat, to be moved with a crank and paddles. But it was only 
in 1807, that the invention was fairly brought into practical 
use, by Mr. Fulton, an American, who had the assistance 
and advice of Mr. Bell, a Scots engineer. There are now, 
according to Mr. Perkins' statement, about 300 Steam-boats 
on the rivers, bays, and coasts of the United States, varying 
in their size from 100 to 700 tons. In Britain, the first suc- 
cessful application of steam to vessels, was made by the above 
mentioned Mr. Bell,* who built the Comet of 25 tons, and 
four horses' power, to ply on the Clyde. There are now reck- 
oned about 150 Steam-boats, from 40 to 500 tons, plying on 
the rivers and coasts of the British isles. Glasgow, which 
had the honor of introducing steam navigation on this side of 
the Atlantic, is still the seat of its greatest activity. Accord- 
ing to a statement given in the " Edinburgh Philosophical 
Journal," published in July, 1822, there were then no less 
than 36 Steam-boats, of various sizes, plying on the Clyde. 
Some of these, besides performing regular voyages to Inve- 
rary, Campbelton, Belfast, Liverpool, and other places, are also 
performing tours, during the summer months, to the Giant's 
Causeway, Staffa, Skye, and other ports of the Western Isles, 
and to Inverness by the Caledonian Canal. Steam -boats are 
also plying between Aberdeen and Leith — between Newha- 
ven and Aberdour, Bruntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkaldy, and 
Dysart ; and to Queensferry, Alloa, Grangemouth and S tel- 
ling — between Leith and London — Dover and Calais. One 
has been plying for several years on Loch-Lomond, which en- 
ables the traveller, at a small expense, to take an interesting 
view of the diversified scenery of that beautiful lake. Five 
are just now plying on the Tay ; two of which, with engines of 
30 and 40 horse powers, and fitted up with elegant accommo- 

* It is much to be regretted, and it is certainly not congenial to the libe- 
ral spirit of the age, that this gentleman, who was among the first invent- 
ors of steam navigation, and who has done so much to promote its success 
in the neighborhood of Glasgow, has never received any public reward 
for his exertions, and has been left to sink into a state approaching to 
poverty. 



336 APPENDIX. 

dation, ply daily between Perth and Dundee ; each of them 
during most of the summer months, transporting nearly a hun- 
dred passengers at every trip. 

Steam navigation, though less understood on the Continent 
than with us, is now beginning to make considerable progress. 
There are eight Steam-boats on the Garonne, and several on 
the Seine. There are two on the Lake of Geneva, and two 
are about to be established on the Lake Constance, and there 
are, besides, one or two on the Danube. It is likely, that in 
the course of a few years such conveyances will be estab- 
lished on all our Friths and Rivers, and the period is, no doubt, 
hastening on, when excursions will be taken, in such vehicles, 
between Europe and America. A Steam-boat of 700 tons 
burden, and 100 horse power, has sailed regularly, summer 
and winter, for three or four years, between New York and 
New Orleans, a distance of 2000 miles, in an open sea, ex- 
posed to great storms ; and, by many, she is preferred to the 
packets, not only for the certainty of making shorter voyages, 
but on account of greater safety. In America, steam vessels 
are fitted up with every accommodation and elegancy which 
art can devise ; so as to produce, if possible, as great a vari- 
ety of enjoyment to passengers on sea, as on land. Mr. 
Church, the American Consul in France, has invented a pad- 
dle, which revolves^ on the paddle wheel, by very simple 
mechanism, which is found to save power. In the United 
States, a new mode of constructing cabins has been lately in- 
troduced,. so as to place them beyond the reach of injury from 
explosions of the boiler. A steam vessel of a large size has 
lately been fitted up, which is intended to sail between Lon- 
don and Calcutta. 

" Steam vessels have been built in this country from 10 to 
500 tons, and from 3 or 4 to 110 horse power. The length 
of the City of Edinburgh, on the upper deck, is 143 feet ; and 
some have lately been constructed of still larger dimensions. 
The American steam-boats are larger than ours, and are much 
more used for the conveyance of merchandise. The Fron- 
tinac, which plies on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, is 
170 feet long on deck, and 32 feet broad ; and the Chancel- 
lor Livingston, which plies on the Hudson, is of the same 
size. The velocity aimed at is generally 8 or 9 miles an 
hour. The proportion is, on an average, about one horse 
power for every four tons of burden, computed in the usual 
way. The velocity is found to be nearly as the square root of 
the power, so that an 80 horse power engine will produce only 
hvice the velocity of one of 20 horse power. Something 



APPENDIX. 337 

depends also on the make and size of the vessel. The " Sover- 
eign," of 210 tons, and 80 horse power, goes 9| miles an 
hour in still water ; and the " James Watt," of 448 tons, and 
100 horse power, is stated to go ten miles. For the paddle- 
boards, the rule is, that 3-10ths of a square foot of surface 
should be immersed in the water for each horse power. The 
paddle wheels vary from 10 to 15 feet in diameter, dip from 
12 to 20 inches in the water, and have about one foot in 
breadth for each 10 horse power. Mr. Gladstone affirms, that 
so much power is wasted in displacing the water by the stroke 
of the board, that the velocity of the ship is only about one 
half of that of the outer surface of the paddle-wheel. 

" There are two sources of apprehension in steam-boats — 
fire, and the bursting of the boiler. With regard to the latter, 
when the boiler is of low pressure, it is satisfactorily establish- 
ed that not the smallest danger exists. And in the best con- 
structed vessels, the danger from fire is completely obviated, 
by separating the furnace from the sides of the vessels by five 
inches of water." — The power of steam is now rendered sub- 
servient to the breaking of stones for the construction of roads. 
The stones are put into a kind of hopper above, and pushed 
down with a rake, and the machine is worked by a rotatory 
motion of one horse power ; and will break a ton of hard peb- 
bles, completely, in from six to eight minutes. A steam ma- 
chine has also been invented for the dressing of woollen cloth, 
which does as much work in 50 minutes as two men could do 
in two days. JVEon. JVIag. Aug* 1823, p. 71. — A steam car- 
riage, for conveying goods and passengers on land, was lately 
constructing by Mr. Griffiths. Its rate of motion, on common 
roads is estimated at five miles an hour, at an average ; about 
three miles when going up-hill, and above seven when running 
down. But pecuniary embarrassments, or other impediments, 
have, hitherto, prevented the completion of his design. 

Mr. Perkins has lately made improvements on the steam- 
engine, which promise to carry its powers to a high degree of 
perfection. The engine he has lately constructed is calculated 
to a ten horse power, though the cylinder is no more than two 
inches in diameter, and 18 inches long, with a stroke of only 
12 inches. Although the space occupied by the engine is not 
more than six .feet by eight, yet Mr. P. considers the appara- 
tus (with the exception of the working cylinder and piston) is 
perfectly sufficient for a thirty horse engine. When the en- 
gine performs full work, it consumes only two bushels of coal 
in the day. Mr. Perkins has also announced a discovery still 
more extraordinary, viz. that he has been able * ; to arrest the 



338 APPENDIX. 

heat, after it has performed its mechanical functions, and ac- 
tually pump it back to the generator, to unite with a fresh por- 
tion of water, and renew its useful labors." A particular 
account of Perkins' engine, accompanied with an engraving, 
is given in the Edin. Philos. Journal, No. 17, for July 1823. 
The pretensions of Mr. Perkins, however, have not yet been 
so fully substantiated by experiment as to satisfy the anxious 
expectation of the public. 

An interesting Report has lately been published of a series 
of experiments, made with a neiv steam engine, invented by an 
American machinist, called the capillary steam engine. Three 
great objects are said to be accomplished by this invention, 
lightness, safety, and economy of fuel. In an engine calcu- 
lated for a four horse power, the generator, is formed of a cop- 
per tube \ inch in diameter, and 100 feet long, which weighs 
about 16 lbs. It is arranged in coils, one above another, in 
the form of a sugar loaf, 30 inches high ; the bottom coil 
being 18 inches in diameter, and the top one considerably less. 
The wood is prepared as is usual for a stove, and put within 
the coils. The steam cylinder is formed of sheet copper, three 
inches in diameter, 27 inches in stroke, and, with all its append- 
ages, weighs about 25 lbs. It has been ascertained, that the ge- 
nerator and main cylinder, with their contents and appendages, 
exclusive of fuel, need not weigh more than 20 lbs. to the 
horse power. No harm can be done by the bursting of boilers 
— even a safety-valve is considered as useless. In the course 
of the experiments, the experimenters several times burst the 
tube ; but, so far from doing any injury, it could not always be 
perceived by the spectators. To ascertain what may be done 
towards aerial navigation, by steam, experiments were made 
on the power of wings in the air, and on the power necessary 
to work them. The result is, that it requires a horse power to 
carry 30 lbs. in the air ; so that a flying engine, to be worked 
by charcoal, would weigh about 30 lbs. to the horse power, 
wings, condenser and fuel included. It was also ascertained by 
experiments and calculations, that a balloon could be made to 
carry a man with an engine, which would push it at the rate of 
15 miles an hour in the air. A more particular detail of these 
experiments may be seen in the " London Mechanic's Maga- 
zine," No. 60, for 16th October, 1824. 

No. X. p. 316. — Strictures on a certkin sentiment respecting 
the Work of Human Redemption. 
The sentiment referred to in this paragraph, " That there 
never was, nor ever will be, through all the ages of eternity, 



APPENDIX. 339 

so wonderful a display of the Divine glory, as in the cross of 
Christ," has been reiterated a thousand times, in sermons and 
in systems of divinity, and is still repeated by certain preachers 
as if it' were an incontrovertible axiom, which ought never to 
be called in question ; and is, no doubt, intended to magnify 
the Divine attributes, and the work of redemption.* But it is 
nothing more than a presumptuous assumption, which has a 
tendency to limit the perfections of Deity, and to present a 
partial and distorted view of the economy of human redemp- 
tion. For, in the first place, it has no foundation in Scrip- 
ture. There is not a single passage from which it can be 
legitimately deduced. The onus prGbandi, on this point, 

* It is not important to determine how often the sentiment here ex- 
pressed has been " reiterated in sermons and systems of Divinity." We 
cannot, however, believe that it has been repeated with the same frequen- 
cy, as the author's language seems to imply. That there are instances, 
in which it was designed to express all the meaning here attributed to it, 
cannot be denied. But why may it not have been sometimes used to dis- 
tinguish the work of mediation from all the other favors, which God has 
conferred on our race? In his History of Redemption, p. 342, President 
Edwards says, " from what has been said, one may argue, that the work 
of Redemption is the greatest of all God's works, of which we have any 
notice, and it is the end of all his other works." This view of the subject 
accords with the scriptures. Though it cannot be asserted, that in a 
single instance they directly affirm the work of redemption to be the 
greatest of all the works of God, yet they give it such an importance and 
prominency, as are conceded to no other of His dispensations. In this 
light the Apostles seem to have regarded it. Paul counted all the distinc- 
tions and honors and advantages, which he had acquired amongst the 
Jews, as loss in comparison with the glory of the Gospel. He went even 
farther. He declared that he counted ALL THINGS but loss for the 
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. In this view of the 
subject there is no presumption and no limitation of the' " divine perfec- 
tions and operations." It has no tendency either to damp the hopes, or 
obscure the prospects of immortal beings. 

On the other hand who, that is not presumptuous beyond endurance, 
will suppose, that he now understands the full extent of the love of Christ 
and its bearings on all the other divine operations ? Who will dare to 
assert, that this theme will not be sufficient forever to employ the medita- 
tions and the songs of the redeemed? Has any one ascertained, that it is 
so limited, as to be soon exhausted ? On these topics the author is hap- 
pily silent; or rather he "pronounces nothing decisively;" but affirms, 
that were he " to hazard a conjecture," he should say, " that the converse 
of the proposition" under consideration " is true." But for ourselves 
" we feel chained down to an obscure corner of God's domains," and pos- 
sess no light except that which he has given us. In our present condition 
W6 dare not launch with the author into the ocean of conjecture. Guided 
by the revelation which God. has made, we are compelled to regard the 
work of Redemption as the greatest of all the divine works of which we 
have any knowledge ; and we are satisfied, that the developement of the 
relations and bearings and effects of this stupendous work will be suffi- 
cient to employ all our powers of comprehension, and ever to minister to 
us new and constant delight. Am. Editor. 



340 APPENDIX. 

rests with those who make the assertion. A gentleman, when 
lately conversing on this subject, brought forward the follow- 
ing interrogation, as a demonstrative argument in proof of 
the position in question : " Is not Redemption declared in 
Scripture to be the chief of all the works of God ?" but he 
was not a little surprised, when he was informed, that the 
passage which he had partly misquoted, is applied to the 
Behemoth or the Elephant, as stated in Job, xl. 19.— 2dly, 
the assertion is as presumptuous as it is unfounded. It takes 
for granted, that we know all the events which have already 
happened, and which are now taking place throughout the 
whole range of God's Universal Empire. This empire ap- 
pears unbounded ; and that portion of it which we can mi- 
nutely explore, is but as a point in comparison of the whole. 
But before we can, on good grounds, hazard such an assertion 
as that under consideration, we must have explored all the 
dispensations of God, through every portion of his vast 
dominions ; and be able to form a comparison between the 
different displays of Divine glory, made to all the different 
classes of intellectual beings, under the government -of the 
Creator. And who, among the sons of Adam, can lay claim 
to such high qualifications for pronouncing so sweeping a de- 
cision on this point 1 3dly, It sets limits to the Divine per- 
fections and operations. For although it could be proved, 
(which it cannot be,) that no such displays have hitherto been 
made to any other beings, yet who can take upon him to 
assert, that displays of Divine perfection far more glorious 
and astonishing, will not be exhibited during the countless 
ages of eternity which are yet to come ? To set limits to the 
operations of Almighty Power and Boundless Benevolence, 
during the lapse of infinite duration, is not the province of any 
created intelligence, and far less of man, who stands so low 
in the scale of universal being. 4thly, It tends to damp the 
hopes and prospects of immortal beings, when looking forward 
to an interminable existence. For this sentiment leads them 
to conclude, that they are already acquainted with the greatest 
display of Divine glory which can be made ; and that what- 
ever scenes of wonder may be exhibited in the future world, 
they must, of course, be all inferior to this, in point of extent 
and grandeur. 

The Redemption of the human race, as displayed in the 
Christian Revelation, is a theme sufficiently grand, astonish- 
ing, and interesting, to command the attention of all who are 
convinced that they belong to an apostate race of intelligences, 
and to excite the admiration and gratitude of all who have 



APPENDIX. 341 

experienced its benefits ; and it stands in no need of such 
unfounded and extravagant assertions, to display its riches 
and glory. " Will a man speak deceitfully for God ? Shall 
not his excellency make you afraid, and his dread fall upon 
you ?" — We pronounce nothing decisively on this subject. 
We feel ourselves chained down to an obscure corner of 
God's dominions, to be in the very infancy of our knowledge, 
and withal, to be connected with a race of beings whose 
" understandings are darkened "by reason of sin ;" and are 
therefore unable to pronounce an infallible decision on what 
God will, or will not do. Were we to hazard a conjecture on 
this subject, we would say, that the converse of the proposition 
finder consideration, is more probable than the proposition 
itself. We can conceive worlds ten thousand times more 
populous than ours, and peopled with a higher order of intel- 
lectual beings, towards whom a similar display of Benevo- 
lence and Mercy, were it necessary, may be made ; and, 
therefore, in point of the extent of its objects, we can conceive 
the Love of God more illustriously manifested than even to 
the inhabitants of our globe. But whether such an event 
shall ever take place, it would be presumption in us to deter- 
mine. For the thoughts and the ways of God as far trans- 
cend ours, " as the heavens are high above the earth." It 
demands our highest tribute of grateful adoration, that the 
Almighty condescended to " regard us in our low estate," 
and to deliver us from the moral degradation into which we 
had fallen ; but, surely, it would be unreasonable to conclude, 
from this consideration, that, of all the rational tribes which 
people the universe, Man is the only favorite of the most 
High, " when thousand worlds are round." Though myriads 
of other intelligences were to share in similar favors, it would 
not lessen the happiness conferred on us, nor ought it in the 
least, to detract from our admiration of " the love of God* 
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

There are a great many other vague and untenable notions 
which are entertained and reiterated by certain commentators 
and divines, as indisputable axioms, which it would be of im- 
portance to the cause of Religion to discard ; such as — that 
angels are pure immaterial substances* — that they were 
formed on the first day of the Mosaic creation — that the 
wisdom of God is no where so illustriously displayed through- 

* In the Scriptures angels are called Spirits. And till some evidence is 
offered of their materiality we shall see no reason to abandon the opinion, 
that they are pure spirits, — Ed. 

29 



342 APPENDIX. 

out the universe as m the scheme of redemption* — that the 
chief employment of the future world will be to pry into the 
mysteries of salvation^ — that sin is an infinite evil J — that the 
whole material universe was brought into existence at the 
same time with our earth — that the Creator ceased to create 
any new order of beings in the universe, after arranging the 
fabric of our globe — that the whole system of material nature 
in heaven and earth, will be destroyed at the period of the dis- 
solution of our world — that our thoughts and affections should 
be completely detached from all created things, &c. &c— 
Several vague notions of this description are founded on the 
false assumption, that the globe we inhabit, and the rational 
oeings that have appeared on its surface from age to age, art 
the chief objects of God's Superintendence and Care — and 
that the Scriptures are the only medium through which we can 
view the plans and operations of the Deity — assumptions, 
which are contrary to reason, which are unwarranted in Re- 
velation, nay, which are directly contradicted in numerous 
passages of Scripture, some of which have already been 
referred to in the course of this volume. It would be ol 

* To show that it is important to discard this sentiment, the author 
ought at least to have stated some good reason for believing it to be with- 
out foundation. Until something more decisive of this point shall be made 
to appear, there cannot be the least occasion to abandon the sentiment in 
question. — Ed. 

f Here substantially the same reply may be made as in the preceding 
instance. Prove, that this will not be the chief employment of heaven — 
Show, that any thing else will, for the most part, occupy the attention of 
the spirits of just men made perfect in glory, and the sentiment under con- 
sideration will be readily renounced. Till then we shall claim the right to 
believe, and maintain, that the employment of the redeemed in glory will 
consist, to a great extent, in beholding, admiring, and adoring Him, who 
hath loved them and died for them. — Ed. 

I Infinite is once used it}, the scriptures to qualify the term iniquity. 
Job xxii. 5. Is not thy wickedness great and thine iniquities infinite ? But 
not to insist on perhaps a too literal interpretation of the term, it will be 
sufficient to show what it is ordinarily used to denote. 

Some authors, regarding only the very limited faculties and powers ol 
human beings, deem it impossible, that any of their deeds can be an infi- 
nite evil. 

Others, considering only the infinity of the Being against whom sin is 
committed, find no difficulty in convincing themselves, that it is an infinite 
evil. 

There is also a third class, who taking the word of God for their guide, 
and learning that sin exposes men to everlasting punishment, do not hesi- 
tate to denominate that an infinite evil, which brings on its guilty victim 
sufferings infinite in duration. Understood in this last sense, we can feel 
no obligation to reject it. It must, however, be admitted that it is not 
always used in this manner, and that it is sometimes an occasion of atnbi 
guity.— Ed. 



APPENDIX. 343 

essential service to the cause of Christianity, that its doc- 
trines, facts, and moral requisitions were uniformly exhibited 
in their native simplicity and grandeur, without being obscured 
and distorted by the vague and extravagant representa- 
tions with which they are too frequently blended by injudicious 
minds. 

No. XL 
As authority has a considerable degree of weight on some 
minds, I shall conclude with an extract on the subject of this 
volume, from that respectable and enlightened divine, Dr. 
Dwight, late President of Yale College : — u The works of 
God were by him intended to be, and are, in fact, manifesta- 
tions of himself; proofs of his character, presence, and 
agency. In this light he requires men continually to regard 
them : and to refuse this regard is considered by him as 
grossly wicked, and highly deserving of punishment, Psalm 
xxviii. 5. Isa. v. 12 — 14. I am apprehensive, that even good 
men are prone to pay less attention to the works of creation 
and providence than piety demands, and the Scriptures re- 
quire. We say and hear so much concerning the insufficiency 
of these works to unfold the character of God, and the nature 
of genuine religion, that we are prone to consider them as 
almost, uninstructive in moral things, and, in a great measure, 
useless to the promotion of piety. This, however, is a palpa- 
ble and dangerous error. The works alone, without the aid of 
the Scriptures, would, T acknowledge, be far less instructive 
than they now are, and utterly insufficient to guide us in the 
way of righteousness. The Scriptures were designed to be 
a comment on these works ; to explain their nature, and to 
show us the agency, purposes, wisdom, and goodness of God 
in their formation. Thus explained, thus illuminated, they 
become means of knowledge, very extensive and eminently 
useful. He who does not find in the various, beautiful, sub- 
lime, awful, and astonishing objects presented to us in Crea- 
tion and Providence, irresistible and glorious reasons, for ad- 
miring, adoring, loving, and praising his Creator, has not a 
claim to evangelical piety." — System of Theology, vol. iii. 
p. 477. 

No. XII. — List of Popular Works on the different Sciences 
treated of in this Volume, ivith occasional Remarks, 

SELECT BOOKS OF NATURAL HISTORY. 

" Goldsmith's History of the Earth, and animated nature," 
with notes by T. Brown, Esq. published at Manchester, 6 



S44 APPENDIX. 

vols. 8vo. The copious notes appended to this edition, con- 
tain an account of the latest discoveries, and form a valuable 
addition to the original work. — " The Gallery of Nature, and 
Art," by Dr. Mason Good, and others, 6 vols. 8vo. — " Spec- 
tacle de la Nature," or, Nature Displayed, 7 vols. 12mo. — 
"Nature Displayed," by Dr. Simeon Shaw, 3 vols. Svo. or in 
6 vols. 12mo. This work, though chiefly a compilation, 
embodies a great variety of interesting and popular descrip- 
tions of the most remarkable facts in the system of nature, 
which are illustrated with numerous engravings, both plain 
and colored. — Clarke's " Hundred Wonders of the World," 
1 vol. 12mo. and Piatt's " Book of Curiosities," contain a 
number of interesting selections on this subject. — Smellie's 
" Philosophy of Natural History," 2 vols. 4to. and his trans- 
lation of " BufFon's Natural History." — Works entitled, 
" System" and u Elements" of " Natural History," are nu- 
merous ; but the greatest part of them is confined to descrip- 
tions of the forms, habits, and instinct of animals. On this 
department of natural science, a work is just now in course ot 
publication, by the celebrated Cuvier, entitled " The Animal 
Kingdom" with engravings, chiefly from the living subjects in 
the Museum of Natural History at Paris. — A popular and 
comprehensive History of the facts which have been ascer- 
tained respecting the earth, the atmosphere, the meteors, the 
heavens, &c. calculated for general readers, and interspersed 
with appropriate moral and religious reflections, is still a desi- 
deratum. The facts of Natural History, newt to tlicf facts 
recorded in the Sacred Yolume, are the first subjects to which 
the minds of the young should be directed in the course of a 
general education. 

SELECT BOOKS ON GEOGRAPHY. 

Pinkerton's Modern Geography, 2 vols. 4to. and the 
Abridgment, 1 vol. Svo. — Guthrie's Geographical Grammar. 
— The Glasgow Geography, in 5 vols. Svo. This work com- 
prehends an immense mass of information, on the historical 
and descriptive parts of Geography. It also contains com- 
prehensive compends of Astronomy, Geology, Meteorology, 
&c. — Malte Brun's " System of Geography," Svo. The 
English translation of this work, when completed, will com- 
prise the fullest and most comprehensive vie. v of Universal 
Geography that has yet appeared in our language, including 
details of the most recent discoveries. Five volumes of the 



APPENDIX. 345 

English translation have already appeared. The first volume 
contains a luminous and comprehensive outline of the science 
of Geology, and Physical and Mathematical Geography. — 
Myer's " System of Modern Geography," with maps, views, 
engravings representing costumes, &c. 2 large vols. 4to. — 
Cooke's " System of Universal Geography," in 2 very large 
quarto vols, closely printed, contains a great variety of inter- 
esting sketches in relation to Descriptive Geography, ex- 
tracted from the writings of modern Voyagers and Travellers; 
the details of incidents, &c. being related, for the most part, 
in the words of the respective authors from whom the infor- 
mation is collected. — Winterbotham's " Geographical and 
Historical view of the United States of America, &c." four 
vols. 8vo. — Morse's " American Geography," 8vo. — Gold- 
smith's " Geography on a popular plan," contains an interest- 
ing account of the manners and customs of nations, for the 
entertainment and instruction of the young, illustrated with 
above 60 engravings. Of smaller systems, there is a great 
abundance in the English language, but most of them are 
extremely deficient, particularly in what relates to General 
Geography. — On Sacred Geography, Well's Geography, mo- 
dernized by the Editor of Calmet's Dictionary, is the most 
complete work of its kind. — On Physical or General Geogra- 
phy — Play fair's System of Geography, vol. 1. and Varenius's 
General Geography. A Modern system of General Geo- 
graphy, in a separate form, on the plan of Yarenius, is a desi- 
deratum. — Edin. Ency. Art. Geography — Sup. to Ency. Brit. 
Art. Physical Geography, &c. &c. Books of Voyages and 
Travels, generally contain the most circumstantial details of 
the physical aspects of the different countries, and of the 
dispositions and customs of their inhabitants ; and present to 
the view of the Christian Philanthropist, those facts and inci- 
dents, from which the moral state and character of the various 
tribes of human beings may be inferred. The following 
works contain comprehensive abridgments of the most cele- 
brated voyages and travels. — " Pinkerton's General Collec- 
tion of Voyages and Travels in all parts of the world," 17 
vols. 4to. — " Mavor's Voyages," &c. 28 vols. 18mo. — " The 
World Displayed," 18 vols. 18mo. — " Philip's Collection of 
Voyages and Travels," &c. 

The following are among the most respectable modern pub- 
lications on this subject, arranged according to the different 
quarters of the World. Asia. — " Valencia's Travels in India, 
Arabia," &c. — u Porter's Travels in Georgia, Armenia," &c. 
— " Golownin's Travels in Japan." " Staunton's Account of 

29* 



346 APPENDIX. 

Macartney's Embassy to China." " Raffle's Travels in 
Java." " Clark's Travels in Asia Minor, and the Holy 
Land." "Chateaubriand's Travels in Palestine." "AH Bey's 
Travels in Arabia." — "Morier's Travels through Persia," &c. 
Africa. — "Lyon's Travels in Northern Africa." Burckhard's 
Travels in Nubia. Bruce's Travels in Abyssinia. Salt's 
Travels in Abyssinia. Bowdich, Hutton, and Dupuis' Ac- 
count of Jlshantee. Leigh's Jour, in Egypt. Belzoni's Tra- 
vels in Egypt. Sonini's Travels in Egypt. Barrow's, Bur- 
chell's, and Campbell's Travels in Southern Africa, &c. &c. 
America. — Howison's Sketches of Upper Canada. Fearon's 
Sketches of the United States. Miss Wright's Views of 
Society in the United States. Humboldt's Travels in South 
America. Duncan's Travels in the United States. Luccock's, 
Vidal's, Kosters's, and Hall's Travels in South America, &c» 
Europe. — Henderson's and Mackenzie's Travels in Iceland. 
—Thompson's Travels in Sweden. — Carr's Travels in Russia, 

Denmark, &c. Pallas' Travels in Russia. Wraxall's, 

Neale's, Coxe's, and Lemaistre's Tours through France, 
Switzerland, Germany, &c. — Bourgoing's and Jacob's Tra- 
vels in Spain. — Brydon's Tour in Sicily, &c. — Yon Buch's 
Travels in Norway and Lapland. — -Cochrane's Travels in 
Siberia, &c. — Cook's, Anson's, Bryon's, Perouse's, and Bou- 
ganvilie's Yoyages round the World, &c. — Prior's Universal 
Traveller, 1 thick vol. 12mo, closely printed with one hundred 
engravings. 

SELECT BOOKS ON GEOLOGY. 

Kirwan's " Mineralogy," and his " Geological Essays." — » 
De Luc's " Geology," and his " Geological Travels." — Par- 
kinson's " Organic Remains of a former World," 3 vols. 4to. 
— " The Fossils of the South Downs, or Illustrations of the 
Geology of Sussex, by G. Mantel, F. L. S." The prelimi- 
nary Essay to this splendid work, contains several excellent 
remarks respecting the connexion of Geology with Religion, 
which are calculated to advance the interests of both. — 
Cuvier's " Essay on the Theory of the Earth," with illustra- 
tions by Professor Jameson ; 4th edition. — Playfair's illustra- 
tions of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth. — Transactions 
of the Geological and Wernerian Societies. — Jameson's Min- 
eralogy. — Buckland's Account of the Discoverv of a Den of 
Hyenas in a cavern in Yorkshire. — Philips' " Outlines of Min- 
eralogy and Geology," 12mo. This last work forms a good 
introduction to the study of Geology, for those who are just 



APPENDIX. 347 

Commencing their inquiries on this subject. The object of 
this science, in the mean time, should be chiefly to the celled- 
' * n g °jf ac ^ s m reference to the structure of the earth, and the 
changes it has undergone. The exterior aspect of our globe, 
and its internal recesses, must be still more extensively 
explored, before any theory of the earth can be established -on 
a broad and solid foundation. It should be left to future ages 
to build a system with the materials we are now preparing. 

POPULAR WORKS ON ASTRONOMY. 

Brewster's " Ferguson's Astronomy," 2 vols. 8vo. with a 
vol. of plates. The notes and supplementary chapters of this 
work, written by Dr. Brewster, contain a full and comprehen- 
sive detail of all the modern discoveries in this science. — 
" Bonnycastle's Introduction to Astronomy," 1 vol. 8vo. — 
La Place's "System of the World," 2 vols. Svo. Dr. Olinthus 
Gregory's Astronomy, 1 vol. Svo. — Mrs. Bryan's " System of 
Astronomy," Svo. — Dr. Mylne's " Elementary Treatise on 
Astronomy," Svo. — Adam's "Astronomical and Geographical 
Essays," Svo. — Philips' " Eight Familiar Lectures on Astro- 
nomy," 12mo. — Squire's " Grammar of Astronomy," 1 thick 
vol. ISmo. closely printed and illustrated with 35 plates. — 
The " Wonders of the Heavens," 12mo. This work contains 
a popular view of the principal facts of Astronomy, and is 
illustrated with 50 elegant engravings, of a variety of interest- 
ing objects connected with the scenery of the heavens ; but 
its discussions are too frequently blended with the peculiari- 
ties of a modern physical theory. — Martin's " Gentleman and 
Lady's Philosophy," vol. 1. — Derham's "Astro-Theology," 
and Whiston's " Astronomical principles of Religion," Svo. 
— Baxter's " Matho," 2 vols. &c. — An elegant and compre- 
hensive outline of the leading facts of Astronomy, in their re- 
lation to revealed Religion, will be found in Dr. Chalmers* 
44 Discourses on the Christian Revelation, viewed in connec- 
tion with the Modern Astronomy," Svo. — The general readei 
in commencing his study of this science, will find Bonnycas- 
tle's M Introduction" a very interesting work. It is written in 
an elegant and animated style, and is agreeably interspersed 
with a number of appropriate reflections ; but it is deficient in 
the detail of modern discoveries. He might next proceed to the 
perusal of Ferguson, Gregory, Squire, &c. La Place's work 
contains a beautiful exposition of the Newtonian System, but 
it is glaringly deficient in a reference to the XS isdom and 
Agency of a Supreme Intelligence. " An undevout astrono- 
mer is mad." Baxter's " lUatho," contains a popular and 



$48 APPENDIX. 

interesting view of this subject and forms a striking contrast to 
the apathy of La Place, who carefully keeps out of view the 
agency of the Creator — the main design of this author being 
to connect the phenomena of the heavens and the earth with 
the attributes of Deity, and the high destination of immortal 
minds. Though this work passed through three editions, it 
does not seem to have been appreciated according to its merits. 
As it has now become scarce, a new edition, with notes, con- 
taining a detail of modern discoveries, might be an acceptable 
present to the public. Those who wish to prosecute this 
subject to a greater extent, may be referred to " Long's Astro- 
nomy," 2 vols. 4to. — Robinson's " Mechanical Philosophy," 
vol. 1. — Vince's " Complete System of Astronomy," 3 vols. 
4to. — " La Lande Astronomies 3 volumns 4to. — and Biot's 
" Traite Elementaire d'Astronomie Physique." A compre- 
hensive work on Descriptive Astronomy, detailing, in a popular 
manner, all the facts which have been ascertained respecting 
the scenery of the heavens, accompanied with a variety of 
striking delineations, and interspersed with appropriate moral 
reflections, accommodated to the general reader, is a deside- 
ratum. 

SELECT BOOKS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 

Hauys " Elementary treatise on Natural Philosophy," 
translated by Dr. O. Gregory, 2 vols. 8vo. This translation 
contains a number of valuable notes by the translator.— Fer- 
guson's " Lectures on Select Subjects in Mechanics," &c. 
by Dr. Brewster, 2 vols. 8vo. with a vol. of plates. The 
Appendix to this work, by Dr. Brewster, contains a mass of 
valuable information on Mechanics, Hydraulics, Dialling, and 
the construction of Optical Instruments ; besides a variety 
of illustrative notes interspersed through the body of the work. 
A new edition of this work, comprising a detailed account of 
the recent discoveries in Experimental Philosophy, has been 
lately published. — Nicholson's " Introduction to Natural Phi- 
losophy," 2 vols. 8vo. — Cavallo's " Complete Treatise on 
Natural and Experimental Philosophy," 4 vols. 8vo. — Mar- 
tin's " Philosophia Britannica," 3 vols. 8vo. His " Gentleman 
and Lady's Philosophy," 3 vols. 8vo. and his Philosophical 
Grammar," 1 vol. 8vo. — Gregory's " Economy of Nature, 
3 vols. 8vo. and his " Lectures on Experimental Philoso- 
phy, Astronomy, and Chemistry," 2 vols. 12 mo. — Joyce's 
"Letters on Experimental Philosophy," 2 vols. 12mo. — and 
his " Scientific Dialogues," 6 vols. 18mo. — Adams' " Lec- 
tures on Natural and Experimental Philosophy," 4 vols. 



APPENDIX. 349 

Svo. with a vol. of plates. — Young's " Lectures on Natural 
Philosophy," 2 vols. 8vo. — Walker's system of " Familiar 
PhPosophy," 4to. in 12 lectures, with 47 quaito engravings. — 
Conversations on Natuial Philosophy, by the Author of 
Conversations on Chemistry, 1 thick vol. 12mo. with 23 en- 
gravings. — Blair's " Grammar of Natural and Experimental 
Philosophy," especially the late editions, contains (at a small 
price) a comprehensive view of the principal departments of 
Philosophy, including Astronomy, Geology, Chemistry, Me- 
teorology, &c. — Euler's " Letters to a German Princess," 2 
vols. 8vo. contains a popular view of the most interesting sub- 
jects connected with Natural and Experimental Philosophy, 
Logic, and Ethics. This work is distinguished by a vein of 
dignified and scriptural piety, which runs through every part of 
it. Euler was one of the most distinguished Philosophers and 
Mathematicians of his day. He died in 1783, at the age of 
77. A new edition of this work, with notes by Dr. Brewster, 
has been lately published. These notes are excellent, so far 
as they extend ; but it is to be regretted that they are so 
sparingly distributed, and that the passages suppressed by M. 
Condorcet, and De la Croix, which were restored by Dr. 
Hunter, who translated the work, and the notes of the ri'^nch 
and English editors, are, for the most part, discarded. Not- 
withstanding the numerous excellent treatises which are to be 
found on this subject, a comprehensive work on experimental 
Philosophy, blended with sketches of those parts of natural 
history, which are connected with it, and enlivened with appro- 
priate reflections on the peculiar agencies of the Deity, which 
appear in the various processes of nature — is still wanting to 
interest the general reader, and to attract his attention to this 
department of knowledge. Were philosophers in their dis- 
cussions of natural science, more frequently to advert to the 
agency of the Deity, and to point out the Religious and Phi- 
lanthropic purposes to which modern discoveries might be 
applied, they might be the means of promoting, at the same 
time, the interests both of science and of religion ; by alluring 
general readers to direct their attention to such subjects ; and 
by removing those groundless prejudices which a great propor- 
tion of the Christian world still entertain against philosophical 
studies. About the period when Boyle, Ray, Derham, 
Nieuwentyt, Whiston, Addison, the Abbe Pluche, and other 
Christian Philosophers flourished, more attention seems to 
have been paid to this object than at present. Since the mid- 
dle of the last century, the piety of philosophers appears to have 
been greatly on the decline. It is to be hoped that it is now 



S50 APPENDIX. 

beginning to experience a revival. But, whatever may be the 
varying sentiments and feelings of mere philosophers, in re- 
ference to the agencies of the material system — " all the works 
of God invariably speak of their Author," to the humble and 
enlightened Christian ; and if he be directed to contemplate 
the order of nature, with an eye of intelligence, he will never 
be at a loss to trace the footsteps and the attributes of his 
Father and his God. 

SELECT BOOKS ON CHEMISTRY. 

Davy's Elements of Chemical Philosophy, 8vo. — Ure's 
Dictionary of Chemistry, on the basis of Mr. Nicholson's, one 
large vol. 8vo. Henry's Epitome of Chemistry, 2 vols. 8vo. 
— Cecum's Chemistry, 2 vols. 8vo. — Thomson's system oi 
Chemistry, 4 vols. 8vo. — Murray's System of Chemistry, 4 
vols. 8vo. and Appendix. — Kerr's translation of Lavoisier's 
Elements of Chemistry, Svo. — Chaptal's Chemistry, applied 
to the Arts, 4 vols. Svo. — Fourcroy's Chemistry, 4 vols. — 
Accum's " Chemical Amusements," and Griffin's " Chemical 
Recreations," contain a description of a variety of interesting 
Chemical facts and amusing experiments. — Gurney's Lec- 
tures tin the Elements of Chemical Science, Svo. — Macken- 
zie's One Thousand Experiments in Chemistry, &c. — Mitch- 
ell's Dictionary of Chemistry. — Conversations on Chemistry, 
by a Lady, 2 vols. 12mo. — Joyce's Dialogues on Chemistry, 
2 vols. 18mo. — Parker's Rudiments of Chemistry, 18mo. and 
his Chemical Catechism, 8vo. — The four works last mention- 
ed may be recommended as popular introductions to the study 
of this science. Parkes' Rudiments and Catechism are dis- 
tinguished by their constant reference to the agency of the 
Deity, and by the anxiety which the author displays to fix the 
attention of his readers on the evidences of benevolent design 
which appear in the constitution of nature. The numerous 
notes appended to the Chemical Catechism, embody a great 
variety of interesting facts in reference to the economy of 
nature, and the processes of the arts. To this amiable and 
intelligent writer I feel indebted for several of the chemical 
facts stated in this volume. 



THE END. 



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